JNLAND AND ON THE SHORE 77 



upon the shooting capabilities of the sportsman and 

 the degree of light in which he shoots. If a man is 

 an average shot he is, no doubt, better off with a full- 

 choke gun in his hands when the light is good, or 

 moderately good, and with a cylinder when the light 

 is bad. But for all-round use at flight-time, nothing 

 equals the heavy i2-bore I have already described. 

 Armed with such a gun, the flight-shooter can use 

 heavy charges of large shot when birds are coming in 

 high from the sea. Abundant practice is necessary 

 before one can become a really good flight-shot. 

 Often the light is so uncertain that only the merest 

 glimpse, if a glimpse at all, of the birds can be ob- 

 tained. The ear needs training as well as the eye : 

 one whose hearing is accustomed to the sound of 

 ducks' wings can bring his eyes to bear accurately 

 upon the point where, if anywhere, the passing birds 

 will for a moment flash within range of human sight ; 

 whereas the novice finds himself quite unable to 

 locate the sound, and therefore fails to see them. 

 Plenty of flight-shooters can stop a moderate pro- 

 portion of shots when firing under the guidance of 

 hearing alone. 



As the inland duck-shooter studies or should 

 study, and should continue to study throughout the 

 season the feeding-places of the birds among which 



