206 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 
I must now revert to the third cause to which I 
attribute the much smaller numbers of partridges than 
should be found on most manors—too hard shooting. 
The practice of walking the ground and killing all 
you can, and of driving it and doing the same thing 
afterwards, alluded to above, is in many places the 
reason why birds become scarce, and I must again 
urge that the practice cannot be too severely con- 
demned. It must be remembered that the standard 
of shooting is much higher than formerly. Although 
you will meet many young men who have neither 
the desire to study, nor the qualities to master, the 
art and craft of true sportsmanship, yet you will 
find that, as a rule, they shoot up to a certain 
average. Three or four of these gentlemen walking 
in line, each with a practised loader and a pair of 
first-rate guns, having ejectors to accelerate re-charg- 
ing, and the best possible cartridges, will make un- 
deniable havoc among the coveys ; and though they 
may probably not often pick out the old birds, will ope- 
rate with deadly success upon the young ones, in both 
cases producing the most destructive effect possible 
upon your stock of birds. If after this the ground is 
driven as well, the stock likely to be left will be very 
small, and, what is worse, will consist mainly of old 
birds. A very scanty supply in the ensuing season will 
