148 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 
them, consider his narrow boundaries, beat for them, 
and possibly carry them himself when killed. 
There is much more ground in a high state of 
game preservation at the present day than there ever 
was, and the comparative values of famous sporting 
estates, with the doings of those who shoot over them, 
are much better known. All improvements in guns 
and gunnery, in rearing, stocking and preserving, 
beating and managing partridges or other game, 
originate on the larger properties and with those who 
shoot in the more luxurious and accomplished fashion, 
and have wider experience of different counties and 
climates ; so I will address myself to the latter in the 
first place. 
Tastes vary, with sportsmen as with other people, 
and although I would not in sporting matters quite 
endorse the old French proverb that ‘tous les gofits 
sont respectables,’ yet there is much to be said in 
favour of each of the different methods of killing 
partridges or grouse. You cannot expect a man who 
from indifferent eyesight, lack of judgment—of pace 
or distance—or deficiency of early training, finds that 
he cannot kill driven birds, and that consequently each 
succeeding day’s driving is to him a fresh defeat or 
disappointment, while he is a fair performer at birds 
rising in front of him—you cannot expect such a man, 
