DRIVING 148 
unexpectedly over the fence, swerves from one of his 
unready neighbours, and flies, an easy prey, into his 
range. 
Neither will he as a rule walk empty-handed from 
drive to drive. By this means many pretty chance 
shots are lost, whilst a loader unless very practised is 
seldom really safe carrying two guns, a heavy bag of 
cartridges, and possibly a shooting-seat across field, 
fence and ditch. If fatigued by carrying too much 
weight, it is natural also that he will not be as keen - 
and lively to mark or pick up your birds. 
When standing up to a low fence, do all you can 
to improve your position. When you have time, cut 
down or make up the fence in front of you as seems 
necessary, and see that you stand if possible on level 
ground. When standing on rough fallow it is well 
also to smooth the ground a little, that you may not 
be discomfited by falling over great clods of earth as 
you swing round at fast-flying birds. 
To those who are keen, and who love partridge- 
driving well conceived, well managed, and well treated, 
all these things will soon come as second nature. To 
those who go out merely to air their guns or their 
clothes, to talk money or racing, politics or women, to 
smoke and eat luncheon, not caring for a good bag 
nor how it is made up, these remarks are not addressed. 
They will never trouble to read them. 
L 
