The Great Bustard 249 
As the season advances the hunter’s difficulties increase. The 
brown earth becomes daily more and more naked, while files of 
slow-moving ox-teams everywhere traverse the stubble, ploughing 
league-long furrows twenty abreast. These factors combine to aid 
the game and stretch to its utmost limit the venatic instincts 
of the fowler. 
Let us now attempt to describe a day's bustard-driving on 
scientific lines. The district having being selected, it is advisable 
to send out the night before a trustworthy scout who will sleep at 
the cortyo and be abroad with the dawn in order to locate pre- 
cisely the various bandadas, or troops of bustard, in the neigh- 
bourhood. The shooting-party (three or four guns for choice, but 
in no case to exceed six') follow in the morning—riding, as a 
rule, to the rendezvous; though should there be a high-road 
available it is sometimes convenient to drive (or nowadays even 
to motor), having in that case sent the saddle-horses forward, 
along with the scout, on the previous day. 
Arrived at the cortyo, the scout brings in his report, and at 
once guns and drivers, all mounted, proceed towards the nearest 
of the marked bandadas. Not only are the distances to be 
covered so great as to render riding a necessity, but the use of 
horses has this further advantage that bustard evince less fear 
of mounted men and thus permit of nearer approach. The 
drivers should number three—the centre to flush the birds, 
two flankers to gallop at top speed in any direction should 
the game diverge from the required course or attempt to break 
out laterally. 
Ten minutes’ ride and we are within view of our first bandada 
still a mile away. They may be feeding on some broad slope, 
resting on the crest of a ridge, or dawdling on a level plain; but 
wherever the game may be—whatever the strategic value of their 
position—at least the decision of our own tactics must be 
clinched at once. No long lingering with futile discussion, no 
hesitation, or continued spying with the glass is permissible. 
Such follies instil instant suspicion into the astute brains on 
yonder hill, and the honours of the first round pass to the 
enemy. 
For this reason it is imperative to appoint one leader vested 
A large number of horsemen inevitably excites suspicion in game unaccustomed to see 
more than three or four men together. 
