IN SHOOTING. 131 



been previously ignorant of somp trifle or other. If, 

 therefore, a person feels himself above hearing an 

 opinion in this, as well as in every other art, he de- 

 cidedly gives the greatest and most positive proof 

 of his own deficiency and narrowness of conception. 

 Safely, however, may it be said, that in field sports, 

 as well as in other pursuits, there are thousands who 

 fancy that no one can show them any thing, when 

 they have literally not learnt above a twentieth part 

 of their art ; and such people are always best left 

 alone ; as, like blighted fruit, they have a bastard 

 colour of maturity, that must for ever debar their 

 coming to perfection. 



With apologies for this digression, let me now 

 endeavour to recollect what hints I can, that are not 

 universally known. 



In killing snap-shots fix your eyes, and imme- 

 diately pitch your gun and fire, as it were, along, or 

 rather over, the bucks of the birds. Recollect they 

 are generally rising and not flying forward, when 

 you take them n>ry quick, and that as the birds 

 required to be so taken are usually at a distance, an 

 elevation, at all events, can do no harm. If you 

 cannot acquire the knack of doing this, your snap- 

 shot birds, being struck in the breast, will go off, 

 and tower before they drop. 



If you have a double gun, always contrive as much 

 as possible to get cross shots (which you will most 

 likely do by walking across, or heading your dog, 

 instead of going, like a bungler, directly from him 



