GENERAL REMARKS 7 



wood-pigeons, a jay, a hawk, and a stoat, but altogether 

 making up a bag regarded with rapture. Poor as such sport 

 may now seem, those however were the days that taught us 

 to be good and careful sportsmen. We have often read that 

 for the first few days the absolute novice should begin to shoot 

 with powder only in the gun, but whatever the merits of the 

 plan may be, we have never yet met with the lad of the period 

 who would condescend to give this method a trial. 



Perhaps the most common fault to be met with nowadays 

 is the hopeless inability of so many to distinguish between 

 meum and tuu7n. Numbers of these delinquents do not sin 

 from jealousy, but from pure incapacity in the excitement of 

 the moment to see anything but the object to be shot at. 



At some Scotch grouse drives, where the boxes have not 

 been more than fifty yards apart, we have had neighbours who 

 have fired at birds passing them on the far side of our box! 

 To mention this is often a matter of giving offence ; but these 

 sort of shooters are the ones of all others to pepper one, and 

 as it is better to cry out before being hit than afterwards, it 

 becomes wiser to risk the offence, and if taken in bad part, 

 it can generally be put right over a glass of wine at dinner. 



The author remembers being present at a grouse drive, 

 where the conformation of the ground forced the boxes to be 

 barely fifty yards apart. As soon as placed in position, on 

 turning to the left, the welcome sight of an old hand met his 

 eyes ; on the right was a lad who had just confided to us that 

 this was his very first grouse drive. However, he had been 

 next us in an earlier drive that day, and appeared to handle his 

 gun in good style, and to know where he was shooting ; so our 

 mind was made up to trust him, and as soon as the birds began 

 to come we blazed away free from anxiety, till suddenly bespat- 

 tered with shot, and turning quickly, it could be seen at a glance 

 the unwelcome visitors had come from the gun beyond the 

 youngster on the right. Wondering how the lad escaped being 

 hit, we did not hesitate to cry the sinner by name. 



