MANAGEMENT OP THE BEAT. 27 



vary according to the nature of the leather used. Some 

 men now wear enamelled leather, which for a time is in 

 itself impervious to water, and this must be dressed, as the 

 surface cracks, with a polish sold on purpose, composed 

 partly of india rubber. Calf skin, on the contrary, will not 

 take this kind of varnish, and it should be kept well 

 saturated with a composition made of boiled linseed oil one 

 pint, bees' wax, resin, of each four ounces, melted together 

 and stirred till cold. 



The accessories will depend upon the nature of the gun 

 which is used, that is, whether a breech loader or a muzzle 

 loader. If the former, nothing is required but the loaded 

 cartridges, which may be carried in a case, or loose in the 

 pocket, and in addition, the little instrument which is some- 

 times required to extract cartridge cases after firing. For 

 the latter, you must take a powder flask, shot pouch, cap 

 holder, wadding, and nipple -wrench. In addition to these, 

 a dog whistle is required, and if you work your own dogs, a 

 whip should never be forgotten. The " gillie" will also carry 

 the essentials for the game which you are to kill, and any 

 spare ammunition, as well as a gun cover, and if you are 

 not regardless of weather, a waterproof coat for yourself. 



MANAGEMENT OP THE BEAT. 



This exciting sport is conducted very differently in the 

 early part of the season, and towards the latter end of it. 

 In the former, unless the birds are unusually wild, almost 

 any method of beating, so long as the dogs can work up 

 wind, will enable you to obtain a fair proportion of shots ; 

 but towards the end of September, or, indeed, sometimes 

 much earlier, some precautions will be necessary to secure 

 good sport. A good marker is almost as essential to grouse 

 shooting as a good dog, and among equally good shots, he 

 who is best provided in this particular will show by far the 

 best bag at the end of the season. In grouse shooting, it is a 

 bad plan to leave any ground unbeaten in the hope of reaching 

 better ; these birds are most capricious in their fancies, and 

 they will be found on one day where not a bird, perhaps, 

 was to be seen on the previous one. It will, however, always 



