ON SHOOTING. 159 



the nest, and makes a bold and confiding pet, and will live to 

 allure his kind to destruction for years. The " brace " 

 consists of two tapes knotted together at half length ; of 

 the four ends thus formed, two are carried from the knot 

 (which forms the centre, its position being on the bird's 

 back), in front of the wings to meet the other two, carried 

 behind wings and legs ; the four ends are joined and attached 

 to a swivel for the tether. Any bird-fancier will show you how 

 to make a brace. 



Take, then, every possible opportunity of practice, and 

 cultivate the habit of rapid decision and " crisp " discharge. 

 Poking and " following/' i.e., dwelling on the object, are 

 futile sources of danger when shooting in company, both to 

 your fellow-guns and to the beaters. There is no danger in 

 rapidity, which need never preclude the lightning-like mental 

 question : "Is the shot safe ? " 



The young shooter has been likened to a disciple, glad to 

 sit, metaphorically, at the feet of the experienced sportsman. 

 Actually, however, it will be greatly to his advantage to 

 induce one of the latter order to sit at his feet, or, rather, 

 to share his butt, or stand behind him when partridge driving 

 or killing pheasants. I am assuming that he has already 

 gone through a short apprenticeship as an observer, unarmed, 

 and has thereby imbibed some rudimentary knowledge of 

 right and wrong. At driven game of all kinds a little coaching 

 by an expert will work wonders and inspire confidence as 

 nothing else can. Take, for instance, a grouse drive : the 

 novice needs to be told what and when to shoot, and why; 

 to lay his plans each moment during the active period in 

 the drive with a view to getting off his two barrels effectively ; 

 selecting always bird No. 1 with definite regard to prospective 

 bird No. 2 ; never firing his second barrel at a difficult bird 

 if an easy one is coming on ; never losing his head, nor turning 

 round to shoot behind when birds are approaching. All 

 these mistakes, plus the universal one of not shooting soon 

 enough in front of his butt, the beginner will inevitably and 

 frequently make, but if he be lucky enough to secure the assist- 

 ance suggested, even during one or two drives, supplemented 

 by a few words of explanation and criticism while waiting, 

 he will be saved from forming habits difficult to eradicate; 



