44 ON THE WING. 



target. When the range of the barrel is upon the bird, 

 or very nearly so, press the trigger, and you will be 

 pretty sure to bring him down. Keep cool, and do not 

 get nervous ; tell your dog to be steady, and you will 

 thus steady yourself. In most cases, especially if it be 

 a quail or partridge, the bird will fly directly from you. 

 If he does so, send home the shot into his dark, hand- 

 some feathers, and you will laugh to see him tumble. 

 Load where you stand, before going forward to recover ; 

 for another quail may start up within ten feet of you. 

 Never withhold your shot because you have not got 

 the exact sight on the bird. Remember the rule above 

 laid down for target-practice : Get as good a visual line 

 as possible upon the bird, and bang away ; and do not 

 withhold your shot because you think the bird is two 

 or three rods beyond a fair distance ; the shot will 

 overtake him and break his wing, or bring him down, 

 so that he can be recovered. 



Always, when pursuing game, walk slowly, and keep 

 cool in all your movements. The excitement of the 

 sport will itself be sure to make you quick enough ; do 

 not try to be too quick. When the bird, springing 

 from the ground, has come to his flying-level, and 

 flown a yard or two, then, if the ground is open, is the 

 time to take him. This is far surer than a quick snap- 

 shot, especially in woodcock-shooting ; it is almost 

 impossible to shoot a cock as he springs from the 

 ground, and before he strikes off on his course. But, 

 in close-covert shooting, you must snap the bird on 

 the first foot after he reaches the top of his spring. 



In the case of partridges, after they have sprung 



