THE SPORTSMAN WHO NEVER FAILS TO HIT. 107 



bird that would rise, and dwell on the bird in its line of 

 flight, and then, perhaps, would not fire, "it being a beau- 

 tiful mark too." And the whole day would be spent in this 

 manner, in poking and sighting at birds in order to fire six or 

 seven certain shots where there was no possible chance of 

 missing, and keeping a correct account how many times 

 they would fire, so that they could tell their friends that 

 they had been out shooting and had killed every bird they 

 had fired at. All such shooting is too tame to talk about. 

 In order to sustain a reputation as the sportsman who never 

 fails to hit, you must fire upon all Partridges that offer a 

 chance to be killed, in bush or out of bush, the difficult, 

 cramped, and uncertain shots, as well as the easy, certain 

 ones, at long as well as short ran ge. 



