206 SHOOTING. 



dress the better, taking care at the same time to let the garments 

 next your skin chiefly consist of flannel. A flannel shirt and 

 drawers are the best that can be used for this purpose, and 

 ought, in fact, to be considered as indispensably necessary. Flan- 

 nel, though so capable of administering warmth, is, notwithstand- 

 ing, a bad conductor of heat ; and, therefore, if the sportsman 

 habituates himself to wear it, he will experience but little in- 

 crease of heat in the summer on that account ; at the same time 

 it must be allowed, that nothing will so effectually absorb the 

 moisture which arises from excesssive perspiration, and conse- 

 quently there can be no better preventive against taking cold* 

 Some persons have an aversion to wearing flannel next the skin, 

 and to such I would recommend calico, on account of its pos- 

 sessing a quality of absorption superior to linen. In hot wea- 

 ther, to walk among the heath till violent perspiration ensues, 

 and then to become stationary for a little time (which will un- 

 doubtedly sometimes be the case in grouse shooting) is almost a 

 sure method of taking a violent cold, if a linen shirt is worn 

 next the skin ; to say nothing of the disagreeable sensation it 

 excites, by sticking to one's back, Short boots, that lace close, 

 but which are easy to the legs and feet, are to be recommended : 

 for shoes, when you walk on the mountains, gather the tops of 

 the heath, which will be very apt to rub the skin off your feet. 

 It will be adviseable also to rub some tallow on your heels, the 

 bottoms of your feet, and the joints of your toes, before you go 

 out in the morning, which will not only cause you to walk easy, 

 but prevent that soreness otherwise consequent to a hard day's 

 grouse shooting. It need scarcely be mentioned that the liquor 

 flask is a very necessary appendage ; to the bottom of which 

 should be attached a tin cup, which will enable the sportsman to 

 allay his thirst by mixing water with his brandy or rum : rinsing 

 the mouth will perhaps be found occasionally to answer the de- 

 sired purpose. But on no account drink cold water alone ; the 



