282 THE COVERTS 



More common still is the jealous shot, who is a detest- 

 able nuisance. By snatching at other men's game, and 

 claiming promiscuously what never belonged to him, he 

 is likely enough to put the coolest of his neighbours off 

 their shooting, and in any case he is pretty sure to ruffle 

 their tempers. Besides, it may be almost taken for 

 granted that he is something of a tailor, and mangles 

 even more birds than he misses. And nothing is more 

 painful to the genuine sportsman than to know that 

 crippled victims are dropping around him beyond sight 

 and search, to suffer and die in lingering torments. 



