6 LETTERS TO YOUNG SHOOTERS LETTER 



in the case of birds killed as they rise in front of a 

 shooter, it frequently happens that they are damaged 

 for the table, from the fact of their sterns or sides 

 being next the gun, and the plastering of shot they 

 are likely to receive in those parts particularly in 

 the case of a shooter who is a quick shot, and uses 

 choked barrels. 



There is no doubt that, were it not for the 

 sociable custom of driving game, it would be impos- 

 sible for a host nowadays to return the hospitalities 

 of his friends ; for in a month's sport over dogs he 

 could not entertain the number of fellow shooters 

 that a couple of parties for driving would admit of 

 not to speak of the damage that a month's constant 

 harassing would entail on his preserves, as well as the 

 inability to visit his friends which such a l stay at 

 home ' course would entail ! 



Facilities of travelling enable lovers of the gun to 

 assemble at a country house during the game season 

 with great ease and at short notice, and the practice 

 of ' driving ' finds amusement for all, when shooting 

 over dogs, however pleasing to the one or two sports- 

 men so inclined, could not be arranged to afford 

 general occupation unless dogs and acres in numbers 

 unlimited, and, rarer still, a suitable country of bound- 

 less extent, existed ! 



