MORNING MALLARD SHOOTING FALL. 145 



<' What made you shoot?" "Why didn't you let 

 him go by ? " " We could have called him back ! " 

 And one perhaps is now trying to do so, mak- 

 ing a noise more like- a bull-frog than a duck, 

 and keeping it up until the duck is out of sight. 

 1 am not over-drawing it a particle, as I have 

 often seen it. 



Mark ! to the right. I'll see if I can't call that 

 young drake this way. Yes, here he comes ; don't 

 move until he gets almost to you, and then put 

 it on him without getting up, and pull. (Bang! 

 Bang !) You shot too quick, but I've saved him. 

 Remember this isn't like shooting along the creek ; 

 there the ducks, jumping up in front and flying 

 most always directly away nearly on a level with 

 you, may be often killed with snap-shots, like 

 quail or snipe; but in this cross and overhead 

 shooting, overhead most especially, snap-shooting 

 won't do. You can't make the proper and ne- 

 cessary calculations unless you take more time, 

 and the position in overhead shooting is one you 

 are not much accustomed to in the field. Now, 

 the next one that comes, take it slower ; if coming 

 in line, let him get an angle of forty-five degrees 

 or more with you before you raise the gun; then, 

 bring it up directly behind him, moving it con- 



