Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-15
Driving Partridyes.

According to the modern system half a dozen
guns ana nan dozen heaters, each with re
treayer behind him, walk in line through the
turnips, going from one field TO another, knock
ing over the birds as they rise in front of them
IKE pigeons, never stopping to look for runner
or caring to mark covey down. This method
CT proceeding, In time, becomes exceedingly
monotonous, and 1t is no wonder that men have
ceased to care about days shooting as they
used to do. To leave the house about H.
after a lounge in the stable yard with a
cigar, to march through the turnipS for two
OF three hours, and then to find slmptuouS
lunch laid out for them in a farm house,
with champagne, hot outlets. lobster salad and
what not, and to walk again for two hours
afterward, returning home to finish the
is now the regular practice with many men who
so years ago would have worked hard from 9
O'Clock to 6, and have taken more pleasure in
seeing their dogs work than in making the larg-
est bag. Another consequence of the want of
cover which is now experienced on most manorS
is that the practice of driving birds has come
into fashion, not only late in the season or
among Frenchmen, but early in September and
where the birds are all English. There is no Oc-
cason to describe this branch OF the sport at
any length. The shooters are either placed in
little hutS or behind screens OF boughS set up
for the occasion, or, when the sport is extern
ported, behind the tallest hedge that can be
found within the probable range Of flight,
as as can a'' be mustered. skill and dir ses-
tion are required both In driving the birds and
no exception to what is the rule with almost
all animals wild or tame; they are very FORK
ard" to drive. Try to drive sheep through a
gateway, or even COWS or horses, and the
chances are that many of them head back and
give you run round the field again after them.
And so it is with birds. Unless the line of the
heaters is formed In proper crescent, and the
flight of the birds has been very accurately
studied, not one cOvey in half dozen will
come the right way. When, however, 1t is
properly managed, and the guns are In good
hands, the process Is murderous. Almost every
bird In a covey comes within shot of some one,
and party OF five or six guns may kill their
30 or 40 braces in this manner, where by the
ordinary method they would not kill quarter
OF the number. Something else, too, which we
have as yet omitted to mention has had good
deal to do with the change which has come
over Notwithstanding during the last few
years. ASthe early period was the flint period,
the middle the decorating period, so this third
may be styled the breech-loading period. The
quickneSs with which men can now load makes
them want to fire oftener, and, as no one ever
stands still to load his gun, the dogs where
they are still used cease to down-charge and
grow wild and willful. More birds are probably
killed now in good seasons than our grandfath-
erS ever dreamed of. Still 1t can hardly be
called sport, and is certainly not comparable
with the old style Of shooting, which delighted
our forefatherS, and by which in former times SO
many men of eminence have lightened the cares
of state and refreshed the overweight brain
reeling under the weight Of empires]lF raSer's