SNAP-SHOOTING AND SHOOTING IX COVERTS. 49 



bird, and pulling the trigger the instant that the heel- 

 plate of the stock reaches the shoulder. Yery many of 

 these shots are complete misses, because the pellets of shot 

 pass over the bird, on account of the elevation of the muzzle. 



The reader should endeavour to follow the directions 

 as below : — 



In case a bird be a low-flying one, by keeping the head 



erect, planting the muzzle upon the bird at the instant of 



firing, the shot goes high, and the bird, in all probability, 



will be killed, because it has flown within the killing- 



* 

 circle ; whereas, if the head be lowered so as to let the 



eye run along the whole length of the rib, time is lost, 



and the shot, in many instances, would pass under the bird. 



Should the bird rise high in the air, as woodcock 

 usually do in coverts, the pellets of shot, in many in- 

 stances, would pass over the bird, because he is on a curve, 

 that is, on the descent. In similar instances, after placing 

 the gun in position, depress the muzzle an inch or so, just 

 at the instant of firing. 



At straightaway shots, more time is allowed to run the 

 eye along the rib, or at any rate the last foot of the 

 muzzle-end. 



At cross shots it is swing, and nothing else but swing, 

 that will enable you to kill almost every bird, 



E 



