64 ON THE WING, 



TWO EYES versus ONE EYE. 



IT has generally been thought quite impossible to 

 shoot well " on the wing " without closing one eye 

 at the time of making the shot. How often have I 

 observed the tyro, even in shooting at a target, trying 

 hard to keep one eye shut, as if this were one of the 

 chief desiderata in shooting. Frequently he is to be 

 seen holding the left hand over his eye, in the attempt 

 to do what nature tells him not to. This was the old 

 style of taking aim. Formerly, almost every new be- 

 ginner after setting up his target, rested his gun across 

 a barrel or box, and, as a matter of necessity, shut 

 one eye in aiming at the object. 



I admit that in rifle-shooting the left eye ought to 

 be closed, in order to draw a bead exactly on the ob- 

 ject aimed at. Nor in close target-practice with the 

 shot-gun can the spot be accurately defined unless one 

 eye is closed. But in shooting on the wing this closing 

 one eye is quite unnecessary, and is, in my opinion, at- 

 tended with disadvantages. Almost all excellent snap 

 shots keep both eyes open ; and a man hunting in July, 

 while watching for his bird after having shot at it, 

 wants both eyes wide open to mark down, whether he 

 kills or not. 



Many persons cannot understand how an accurate 

 aim can be taken with both eyes open ; though they 



