132 SHOOTING THE PHEASANT 



sants, while it is yet strong enough to keep out cattle 

 or sheep. If there is a gate, and no stock in the 

 adjoining field, the gate should be left standing open 

 long before you begin to beat the covert, and the birds 

 will readily run through it. 



But, above all, you must halt the line and give 

 plenty of time when you get to within loo yards of the 

 end, and keep up plenty of noise. This is the point 

 most often neglected, and its omission accounts for 

 the general confusion and springing of the birds in 

 every direction, as well as for the objection probably 

 urged by your keeper, that it is of no use trying to 

 drive the pheasants in that direction, that he has tried 

 it often, and they never will go, &c. &c. 



Remember that, whatever the shape of your covert, 

 pheasants can be driven almost anywhere so long as 

 they are kept on their feet ; which, reduced to a few 

 words, means that you must not get so near them as 

 to cause them to squat and flush. Lord Leicester's 

 dictum about driving them into his billiard-room ' is 

 perfectly sound, and may be taken as the basis of the 

 system on which you should proceed, whether your 

 pheasants be many or few. 



We will suppose that you have successfully accom- 



' The billiard-room at Holkham is, needless to say, on the 

 ground floor, and opens on to the garden with a wide door. 



