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had ever seen but that he knew no more how to work Norfolk part- 

 ridge than a child, and unless he altered his system he must be 

 beaten. It was then arranged that next day Ross was to come to the 

 good old fellow to be shown over the ground and get instructions. 



Mr. Coke on the firot day killed fifty-four brace, so Ross was four- 

 teen brace behind him. 



Mr. Denny's instructions next day were to this effect :— Early in 

 the morning to drive the partridge from the stubbles to the turnips. 

 Then, with two old setters he would lend him which between them 

 had only two eyes, and would potter about within fifteen or twenty 

 yards finding the dead and wounded birds, and with a man on either 

 side, he was to beat the turnips in small circles. If he went straight 

 through the field the birds would run along the drills to the end and 

 then rise in one great pack, but by making small circles they would 

 be cut off and shots could be got. 



Captain Ross followed the old gentleman's instructions to the letter. 

 In the first field, by 9 a.m., he got fifty shots and bagged fifty part- 

 ridges. He missed once but killed two in a shot afterwards. The 

 result of the day's shooting was that Ross bagged fifty-nine brace and 

 Mr. Coke thirty-six, so that on the two days' shooting Ross won by 

 nine brace. 



Thus is shown what different training is required for dogs where 

 birds are in great numbers to that necessary for wilder shooting. It 

 reminds me of what occurred over thirty years ago with myself. 

 Among other good dogs I had a wonderful bitch called Sappho. I 

 have had as good, but none better. For her I refused several offers 

 of from £20 to £30, but I would not have taken £50 for her. A 

 friend of mine from Lincolnshire was shooting with me one day and 

 greatly admired her working, but told me that, except for a retriever, 

 he never saw a dog which would be worth £10 for the sort of shooting 

 they had in the eastern counties of England. 



Mr. Coke, with whom Captain Ross had the match just alluded to, 

 was not a first-class shot, but he thoroughly knew how to get at game 

 in his own county, with the result that he generally bagged more 

 than men who could shoot better but had not the same field-craft. His 

 dogs were perfectly adapted for Norfolk or other crack partridge 

 shooting ; but were bred between setters and water spaniels. When 

 on the scent they never pointed, but walked on with their tails straight 

 out and put their birds up ; but as they were broken to keep within 

 fifteen or twenty yards of their master, they did no harm in this free 

 and easy manner of flushing birds for they dropped to shot and 

 retrieved beautifully. This Mr. Coke Avas the first man who went in 

 earnest to stalk deer in the Highlands. 



Seldom do we find one as a horseman equally good between flags and 

 with hounds. Still more rare is the man who is first-rate with the gun 

 at game and the rifle at a target. But in Captain Horatio Ross was a 

 man still more phenomenal, for he was equally good with shot-gun, rifle, 



