RIFLE-PRACTICE AT MARKS. 211 



the shooting" powers, by trial shots at marks at un- 

 known ranges, and practising the art of judging dis- 

 tances correctly. 



Over-estimation of distances being almost certain to 

 result in constant failure and disappointment, requires 

 to be particularly avoided; when the aim is too high, 

 the shot of course goes clear over the mark and is 

 absolutely wasted; on the other hand when it is too 

 low, there is always the chance of a " ricochet, " though 

 as a rule the shot is apt to be deflected very wide of 

 the mark aimed at. We cannot doubt that all these 

 circumstances combined did exercise a fatal influence 

 upon the shooting of the unfortunate British troops 

 -employed in the Boer war, and thus entailed the com- 

 plete failure of every enterprise. 



We have ventured to insist upon these matters with 

 almost obstinate iteration, because in an art requiring 

 great accuracy like rifle-shooting, such results appear 

 to us the almost necessary sequence, when the shooter 

 is called upon to exercise it under entirely novel 

 conditions. Sportsmen will therefore do well to lay 

 these maxims to heart, if they expect to be successful 

 in a hunting expedition upon wide plains. 



Practice at birds and other small game with a pea- 

 rifle, will be found a useful method of obtaining 

 preliminary experience, and it has the great advantage 

 of not disturbing a wide extent of country, as is 

 frequently the case, especially among mountains, when 

 heavier weapons are employed. Personally we are of 

 opinion that there is no way in which a man can 

 improve his shooting more quickly than by the use 

 of a pea-rifle at small objects at moderate distances. 

 This principle has been carried out to an extreme 



