l80 ON THE WING. 



very fine, I admit, when the hunting-ground is always 

 in the open field, and free from mud and water ; 

 and they are much used on the other side of the 

 Atlantic. But I would not use them here, especially 

 while hunting in low ground. Keep the boots well 

 cleaned and greased. If the sportsman has much 

 shooting to do, I would advise him to get two pairs 

 of boots, so as to have one pair in order all the time. 

 Do not have your boot-tops very high, unless you are 

 going to hunt among briers. The young sportsman 

 may think they look well coming up over the knee, 

 like the cavalry boot ; but in hot weather they heat 

 the knee-joint, which should be kept cool. 



For a shooting-hat or cap, I use, in July, a medium- 

 brim Panama or summer hat. I eschew caps at this 

 season, notwithstanding they may look better and 

 appear more jaunty ; for they heat the head, which 

 it is important to keep as cool as possible. In late 

 fall shooting, a cap with a visor, or a soft hat with 

 a medium brim, is the best. 



I would simply add that, as the weather grows cool 

 in the fall, it is better to wear the same coat then as 

 during the warmer season, adding, however, a warmer 

 vest. 



Game-Bags. 



Some people make game-bags of the pocket or 

 lining of their hunting-coat, having the pockets lined 

 with rubber cloth or other material. This is not my 

 practice ; there are many objections to this kind of 

 bag. Whatever we might imagine to the contrary, it 



