BOB-WHITE 117 



and point the covey. Approaching without haste, 

 walk in and flush the birds. By no means shoot them 

 on the ground, and refuse at once to shoot with one 

 who would suggest it. As the birds arise with noisy 

 wings, select one far out on your own side and having 

 killed or missed it, shoot again. Do not, like Mr. Tup- 

 man, shoot vaguely at the flock with both eyes shut. 

 Such shooting may possibly wound some birds but 

 more likely will hit them not at all. Mark well the 

 birds which cross the woodland fence. They will not 

 go far beyond it. And here the sportsmen differ in 

 their methods of pursuit. Some say do not follow the 

 scattered birds at once but seek another covey first. 

 This is the rule of action laid down by Forester, Lewis, 

 and some other writers. Many sportsmen of much ex- 

 perience, however, will lose no time in getting to the 

 woods. 



It is certain that often the birds will not be found 

 even by the best of dogs, and many say they have the 

 power of withholding their scent. I have often marked 

 the birds to a small thicket, or even patch of briers, 

 where they certainly went down, once between me 

 and a horse within the field, and with the best of dogs 

 I could make but one of them take wing. On one 

 occasion I even saw a partridge on the ground and 

 two dogs as good as any passed each side of it, and 

 but a few feet away. They even failed to take notice 

 of it when I again brought them where it was, and 

 finally I moved it with my foot, when up it went. 

 There were at least fifteen birds in the covey, and all 

 were on the ground, but not one more was moved, 

 although the dogs ^ere worked closely back and 



