124 SHOOTING. 



For my part, I should not, even if he missed an 

 open shot or two within five yards of his nose ; be- 

 cause such a circumstance might arise from his being 

 nervous, or an accident, when the other, if put to 

 the difficulties that he had been doing, would acquit 

 himself no better than an old woman. 



If such a person, therefore, has a pride about him, 

 and wishes to be thought a great shot, let him throw 

 aside his double barrel ; and, under the plea of having 

 only one charge to depend on, he may come off with 

 great eclat among the average of shooters. 



With regard to the distance, which constitutes a 

 fair shot, there is no speaking precisely ; but, as far 

 as such things can be brought to paper, and guns to 

 an average, I should say, that, provided a gun is 

 held straight, a bird should scarcely ever escape at 

 forty yards; and that that is the outside of point 

 blank range, although, at fifty yards, the chances 

 are three to one in favour of killing, with a good 

 aim ; but as a gun never shoots twice alike, a bird, 

 at this distance, may sometimes be struck with three 

 or four shot, and at others, may escape through an 

 interval, though the piece be never so well directed. 

 But, if a pellet should take a bird in a vital part, or 

 the wing, at seventy or even eighty yards, it would 

 probably come down, though the odds (at such di- 

 stances) are, of course, against your hitting it at all. 

 Birds fly ing straight aivay, or coming to you, require 

 a much harder blow, than those crossing we flying 

 directly over your head; by reason that, in the first 



