180 A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK 



gins in the partridges' dusting-places, such as ash- 

 heaps, the remains of burnt couch the keeper forms 

 a habit of probing such dust-baths with his stick. 

 As dawn breaks on September 1, the poacher con- 

 ceals himself in a ditch commanding a fallow where 

 the coveys jug. Then he sends his dog or his son 

 to stroll casually and slowly to and fro across the field 

 at the far end. The birds, not hard-pressed enough 

 to take wing, make for a furrow, and run in a solid 

 bunch towards the ambush, to be greeted by a 

 heavy charge of shot, calculated to account for 

 several brace. One shot a rush for the fallen birds 

 and the poacher has flown. 



I"; V; * 



One hears a great deal of praise lavished on the old- 

 fashioned style of walking-up partridges, to the 

 detriment of driving. True, where birds 

 Wai ing- an( j cover are not abundant, a bag of 



fifteen brace or so made by two or three 

 guns will often represent much clever sports- 

 manship besides a hard day's tramping and some 

 shots not to be despised. Yet there is a way of 

 walking-up birds which is nothing more nor less 

 than butchery. In September, the partridges are 

 mobbed and worn out by men whose duty it is to 

 drive them from the barer fields into thick roots, 

 there to be walked up and snuffed out like so many 

 candles at short range. This may be magnificent for 

 the bag, but it is not sport. Again, partridges on 



