RAIL-SHOOTING. 193 
ordinary process. The shot may be made into car- 
tridges of paper with a wad at the upper end, and 
thus a few additional of the precious seconds saved. 
Both barrels are discharged before either is reloaded, 
and the birds are retrieved immediately. 
The sportsman stands erect, without any support 
to modify the unsteadiness consequent upon the 
irregular motion of the boat, and requires practice, 
not merely to enable him to take aim, but even to 
retain his footing. Where the water is low and the 
reeds strong, this difficulty is augmented, as the boat 
entirely loses its way after every push, and advances 
by jerks that utterly confound a novice. Experi- 
ence, however, being acquired in loading rapidly 
and in retaining his balance, the sportsman’s labors 
are easy; but the punter requires many different 
qualities, and upon his excellence mainly depends — 
the final result. 
He must possess judgment to select the best 
ground, strength to urge on the boat unflaggingly, 
and an inordinate development of the bump of locality 
to mark the dead birds. The bird once killed and 
the sportsman part ended, then the punter displays 
his ability ; and if thoroughly versed in bis cratt 
will push the boat through tall reeds, and matted 
weeds, and fallen oat-stalks, and drifted grass, with 
wonderful accuracy to the very spot, and peering 
down amid the roots, will distinguish the brown 
feathers almost covered with water and hidden by 
the vegetable growth. 
In order to retrieve quickly, a wide-meshed scap- 
9 
