144 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 
and the wind blowing from you and against the birds, 
you will ruin the finest drive in the world by talking 
as you go along the fence to your places. This point 
is not half enough observed, but it is often the absolute 
reason of the majority of the birds breaking out at the 
sides instead of coming forward. 
Where possible, let the host place the guns and the 
head-keeper come with the drive. The keeper may 
do both if, as Marlowe ' does, he rides on horseback 
and gets round quickly enough to avoid keeping the 
guns waiting ; he should always take the centre of the 
line, and have sole command. Often the flank drivers 
cannot see that birds are coming towards them with 
a view to break out, and it is only from the centre 
that they can be warned in time to turn them. 
If you have to wait at your stands, while drivers - 
are sent round, always look out for birds put up by 
them as they skirt the ground to be driven ; some of 
these are sure to turn back over you, and if you are 
on the flank may give your only chances in the drive. 
The good man having gone to his post, is ready from 
that moment, and his eyes are seldom off the fence or 
ground in front of him. Nothing moves within the 
range of his vision that he does not see, and many a 
bird will he kill at the beginning of a drive that comes 
1 See p. 130. 
