PREFACE. IX 



History; in the same proportion do they not 

 only lead the Angler up to it, but actually 

 almost force it upon him. 



The former (for whose purposes a very 

 limited knowledge of Natural History is 

 generally sufficient, and whose sports are 

 attended with a degree of noise and bustle, 

 at once disturbing some objects which might 

 otherwise attract their notice, and incompa- 

 tible with a careful examination of others) 

 take the field when the leaf is withering, and 



As to the former, " Hunter" and " Huntsman," though both 

 originally bearing that signification, have now lost it, the 

 word " Hunter" being (in England) now generally transferred 

 from the man to the horse, whilst " Huntsman" is exclusively 

 applied to the person who manages the hounds. As to the 

 latter (Shooting) we are, if possible, still worse oflj for 

 "Shooter" can scarcely be considered to have been ever 

 commonly adopted, "Shooting-man" is utterly inadmissible, 

 and "Shot," if it ever conveys a similar meaning, certainly 

 fails to do so without a qualifying adjective. 



The French, German, Italian, and Spanish languages have, 

 it may be remarked, no advantage over us in this respect. 

 In each there is a word to designate the fisherman (" Pecheur," 

 " Fischer," " Pescatore," and " Pescador"), yet when they come 

 to Hunting and Shooting they are obliged to take refuge 

 in generalities, combining the words "chasser" "jagen" 

 "cacciare" "cazar," &c., with others expressive of the par- 

 ticular sport. 



