STATISTICAL 311 



Somewhere between these extremes 

 lies the right use of a shooting media 

 tutissimus ibis. For while any element 

 of professionalism should be shunned, and 

 the pleasure of seeing your friends under 

 your roof be allowed considerable voice 

 in the matter, at the same time it is a 

 good thing if the guns you take out 

 shooting are able to acquit themselves 

 creditably in the field without too much 

 missing, or, worse still, 'tinkering' of 

 your birds. For there are some guns 

 who seem to shoot most consistently, 

 and always the best part of a foot too 

 far back ; the number of birds these 

 gentlemen can contrive to wound and 

 lose, both to the bag and to the ground, 

 is something surprising. If you have 

 pheasants in your woods, the problem 

 is somewhat simplified ; you can then 

 ask those of your friends who shoot best 

 to drive your partridges, and the in- 

 different performers to the covert shoot, 

 where they will enjoy themselves quite 

 as much, with a good gun behind them 



