AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
141 
able opportunity to prove the quality of his nose, as well 
as derive a most useful lesson. Many persons train young 
dogs with birds loosed from the hands, which at best is 
but a poor plan, as the prisoner bird retains the scent of the 
hand, and makes it more easily found — and a young dog 
would stop at the scent of his master, when he would not 
at that of the bird — but in the former case, the wiles and 
dexterity of the wounded bird will certainly put the quali- 
ties of your dog to the test, and should he find and point 
this bird in a handsome style, it will be worth a dozen 
birds found and hunted in the usual manner. 
The most favourable places to get your game scattered, 
are high grass and low bushes — and to be successful even 
here, you must exercise your best judgment in regard to 
the government of yourself and dogs — and this too with- 
out noise, as much of your sport will depend on silence; 
being careful in these respects, you will stand a good 
chance of getting the larger portion of the flock. In 
December, 1S28, I recollect flushing a covey of partridges 
on high ground, which was covered with rye stubble, and, 
as is commonly the case, the flock divided into two parties, 
one division containing seven, and the other thirteen or 
fourteen birds; the former sought refuge in a low spot of 
ground covered with Indian grass, and low alder bushes, 
while the latter portion of the flock made a long flight to 
a tall wood, and by their course formed a right angle. It 
was late in the afternoon, and I felt convinced that the 
first party, owing to the good cover they were in, would 
remain motionless until the time approached for them to 
call together, to feed and roost. I therefore sought the 
more distant party first, and found them well scattered 
among the leaves on a hill side, out of which I got nine. 
I then proceeded to the small division, and by observing 
much caution and quietness, I shot the whole, making to- 
gether sixteen out of a covey of not more than twenty- 
one birds. 
I have known other sportsmen to meet with like suc- 
cess; and it is only mentioned hereto show that you must 
exercise good judgment, and when you are thus situated, 
you had better always leave that portion or covey which 
are well covered, and proceed after those which are the 
most distant, especially if you are ignorant of the nature 
of the ground they have flown to. Not only young, but 
also experienced sportsmen, are anxious to secure the 
nearest birds, and cannot withstand the temptation of birds 
being within their almost certain grasp, and pass on to a 
more distant part of the same covey — but experience often 
proves, that in stopping to shoot at near birds, the others 
have completely escaped — for it is reasonable to suppose, 
that the part of a covey which flies to a distant spot, is 
gone to a strange neighbourhood, and this being the case, 
N N 
they feel insecure, and will only remain but a short time 
till their first fears are allayed, and hearing no one ap- 
proach, will congregate, and move off with great rapidity. 
There is scarcely a bird so tenacious of its hiding 
place as the partridge when alarmed, which will remain un- 
moved until the very fibres of the grass on which it rests 
are disturbed; and most sportsmen know how frequently 
these birds have been brushed out of the leaves from im- 
mediately under the dog’s nose: — therefore leave no bush, 
tussock, briar, or likely spot untried, in the region where 
you have birds scattered — and after having tried once, do 
not be discouraged at trying again, until you can flush no 
more birds. There is a circumstance attending the par- 
tridge which puzzles philosophy, and often discomfits 
the keenest sportsman, and his wily and sagacious dog; 
and this is the fact, that at one time you may pass by, and 
indeed within a few inches of a hidden bird, and the best 
dog in the world will not discover it — and perhaps within 
half an hour in repassing this spot your dog may discover 
and point the bird before he approaches within twenty 
feet. I have often pondered on this fact, but never could 
deduce reasons sufficiently good to insert here, or that 
would prove satisfactory — but of this, every experienced 
sportsman is aware, and he also knows, that he has en- 
countered birds in an hour or two after he has flushed them, 
that completely baffled his pursuit at that time. It is an 
old saying, “that a bird in the hand is worth two in the 
bush” — and it is equally as true that a bird which you 
know to be in the bush is worth two yet to be hunted, 
and you should never leave a sjaot where you have scat- 
tered birds, until success no longer attends your pursuit. 
Show me a man who is traversing field after field in search 
of fresh coveys, and leaving the scattered birds behind, 
and I will tell you that he is no sportsman. The most 
important thing to a good shot, is to get the birds well 
scattered in ground favourable to shooting, and here pick 
them up one by one; nor does he leave the spot until he 
has flushed nearly, if not quite every bird — this is what 
may be styled clean hunting, and such an one will bag 
twofold more than him who is so slovenly in his hunting 
as only to flush a covey, kill his bird or two, and then 
seek others. The pleasure of a sportsman arises chiefly 
from the sagacity and faithfulness of his dog in hunting 
the scattered birds, for here depends his chief success. 
He also saves himself and dogs much unnecessary labour. 
While beating ground for scattered birds, proceed at a 
very slow gait, and frequently pause, for this interruption 
to motion will sometimes cause a bird to spring, which 
otherwise would remain quiet until you passed by. Never 
strike a bush or cover with your gun, for I have known 
the wadding started from the shot, by a sudden blow, and 
