SHOOTING. 129 



is unaccustomed to shooting, walks up to his dog 

 with his gun half cocked ; the moment the birds rise 

 he is in such a state of agitation, that in attempting 

 to draw back the cock of his gun, with a trembling 

 hand, he lets it slip before the scear has caught the 

 tumbler. Off goes the gun ! and the best fortune that 

 can be expected is the happy escape of a favourite 

 dog, or the life of his fellow-shooter. While, on the 

 other hand, if lie goes up with his gun cocked, and 

 hi ft companion or follower AYV.V that he advances with 

 the MUZZ/C in a xafe and elevated position, the worst 

 that can happen is, (hat he may fire it by accident, 

 in a direction that may be as likely, or more so, to 

 kill a bird than when he aimed at it, or at all events, 

 in one that could endanger neither man nor dog. 

 With regard to presenting a gun, the hand, when 

 near the guard, is in the safest, and when grasping 

 (lie stock in the firmest position. Here let the shooter 

 please himself. 



Avoid squaring your elbows when you present a 

 gun ; it gives you an unsteady position, and has the 

 same outlandish appearance as the squared elbows 

 of our half-strangled r.r<y///Avtov who drive about the 

 streets. Nothing can be neatly or gracefully done 

 that is not done with ease, and a man may as well 

 say that he can sit with the same comfort in the stocks 

 as on a sofa, as that he can, in reality or appearance, 

 be as easy with his elbows forced outwards, as when 

 in their natural position. 



If we consider for a moment, then, we shall per- 



K 



