Btiquette of the blind. 513 



moment, but the duck which is ahead when the shots 

 are fired. We have more than once seen a blunder of 

 this kind take place, by which one or more shots were 

 lost. 



Under no circumstances will a thoughtful man, with 

 proper instincts, shoot at a bird that properly belongs to 

 his companion. Under no circumstances whatever will 

 he shoot across his companion's face; and if your gun- 

 ning companion be guilty of such a breach as this, he 

 should never again have an opportunity to shoot in the 

 blind with you. 



It is not customary for men who are not well ac- 

 quainted with each other to shoot in the same blind, 

 but if, by any misfortune, a gunner should find himself 

 in a blind with a man who evidently is so selfish that he 

 wants to kill all the birds, no matter from which direc- 

 tion they may come, he should leave the blind on the 

 very first opportunity, and decline to return to it, or 

 ever again to shoot with this person. Characteristics 

 such as this, which would never be seen under the ordi- 

 nary conditions of life, sometimes manifest themselves 

 in the blind, and I know of one or two men, who have 

 high reputations as sportsmen and high standing in 

 the community, with whom, under no circumstances, 

 would I share a blind or a box. 



Most men, however, do not intentionally impose on 

 their companions, and many, who under stress of ex- 

 citement will do things which are not fair, and which 

 they should not do, may be checked by a quiet word, 

 and taught by a little precept and a good deal of ex- 



