‘ARMA VIRUMQUE CANO’ 87 
sent to his place for a drive, the part of the fence in 
front of him where he is likely to get most of his 
chances. This quality has often been called instinct, 
but this is a mistake; it is the quality of observa- 
tion highly developed and coupled with a faithful 
memory. If it were instinct we should know where 
to look for the game the first time we are taken out ; 
but we do not, and’it is really the varied, but always 
accurate, recollection of former observations that 
produces the apparently spontaneous knowledge of 
the sport which distinguishes some men. How often 
when beating a field of turnips the way of the drills, 
in the company of a duffer, have you seen him half- 
cock and shoulder his gun as he got to within about 
ten yards of the end fence! Up gets a bird from 
under the last two or three turnips, and is over the 
fence and away before he is ready. You perhaps kill 
it for him, and his only reflection will’ be: What a 
wonderful fellow you are to know there was likely to 
be a bird in that particular corner! But he will make 
the same mistake the next day, and for ever, because 
he observes nothing, and consequently doesn’t know 
that an odd bird, who has been running up the drills 
from you since you entered the field, is often too 
nervous to rise until forced to do so at the very end, 
and is also afraid to cross by running the small space 
