QUAIL-SHOOTING. 9l 



When you fail to find birds on a ground that you know 

 to harbour a bevy, you may be successful by working the 

 same ground again ; in this instance, work out carefully 

 every portion that contains high grass, weeds, or briers, 

 and especially look over every fallen tree, and every fence 

 corner, as they lie close together, so that both you and 

 your dog may pass by without disturbing them. 



When your dog is on a point, walk up slowly until you 

 get your position, and, as the birds rise, do not fire too 

 soon as the shot requires distance to spread, and the birds 

 are continually rising. In order to make sure of hitting 

 at all, you must fix the eyes steadily upon one bird at a 

 time, and the instant that it begins to fall to the first bar- 

 rel, fix the eyes upon another ; or if the bird is missed, 

 fire the second barrel at the same bird, lest it should go 

 away wounded. After firing, cast your eyes in the direc- 

 tion of the bevy ; just before alighting you Avill perceive 

 that the birds will give a sudden flap to their wings, which 

 at the moment of pitching is often seen after the birds 

 have been lost sight of. Before moving, cast your eyes 

 upon the suspected spot or spots where the bird or birds 

 fell, as a bird on falling dead requires a careful marking, 

 because of their being but little scent to assist the dog in 

 finding it, except within a short distance of where it fell. 



