i;8 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



powder and shot, as also of noise and fuss likely to 

 disturb game. 



Rock-pigeon shooting is an, exceedingly difficult form 

 of sport, as frequently followed. I have in my mind's 

 eye some high cliffs on our east coast near to 

 Flamborough Head with a number of guns posted on 

 the top for the purpose of shooting the blue-rocks in 

 their wild fastnesses. From that position the gunner 

 gazes down into space for a depth of 400 ft. to 500 ft., 

 his practice being rendered increasingly difficult by 

 reason of the background of tossing, tumbling water 

 stretched out so far beneath his stand. This form of 

 shooting is, perhaps, scarcely a fair test of the true 

 capabilities of a gunner who has never previously 

 participated in sport of like nature, for the novelty of the 

 situation will, likely as not, put him off his shooting. This 

 rockdove shooting must be considered one of the most 

 difficult forms of sport imaginable for the shot-gun ; it 

 will, assuredly, bring into play all the skill and 

 dexterity of which the shooter is possessed. In pigeon- 

 shooting at the Flamborough cliffs I have found that the 

 rockdove and the not less active stockdove are both 

 present, and it is difficult to say which of the two is the 

 more difficult to bring down, each one habitually darting 

 out from the cliffs like a flash and moving off at rare 

 speed. Some of the best game-shots of these times have 

 been known to make but a poor percentage of kills to 

 cartridges expended when engaged upon this sport of 

 rockdove shooting, and this whether shooting downwards 

 from the cliff-tops or upwards from a boat dancing on the 

 tumbling waves. 



Whether rook-shooting be regarded as sport or 

 merely as fun, it is certain that the due thinning out 



