48 ON THE WING. 



them, can always be ready for a bird flying to the left. 

 In this way I have shot woodcock and rabbits, when 

 in the former position it would have been impossible 

 to turn the body and get the gun upon them. There 

 is a further reason why the feet should be near togeth- 

 er and the body but little bent. This position throws 

 the weight of the gun more upon the body, and not 

 so much upon the muscles of the arms, which, in the 

 case of a heavy gun, not only weakens the whole 

 body, but is likely to interfere with success in shoot- 

 ing. 



Before going into the fields, oil the barrels of the 

 gun on the top, near its breech and about the nipples. 

 This will prevent the fulminating powder of the caps 

 from injuring the staining of the barrels, and will keep 

 off the rust. It can easily be washed off the next 

 time the gun is cleaned. 



The young sportsman must recollect that the rules 

 laid down for the shooting of one kind of game-bird 

 will apply in some degree to all. It is for him to use 

 his judgment in the application, and to modify the 

 rules according to the nature of his game. The 

 woodcock is one of the most difficult of all game- 

 birds to kill cleanly and handsomely ; and the rules 

 given for shooting it can easily be applied to partridge, 

 quail, rabbit, or any other kind of inland game. They 

 will also apply to duck-shooting from the boat, al- 

 though this is to some extent a specialty by itself. 

 The novice must have got some experience before he 

 can kill a single duck going down-wind at the rate of 

 ninety miles an hour. But if he be a good inland 



