228 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



and the sooner the poorer resident population come to 

 realize this the better will it be for them and for all 

 interested in the well-being of Ireland. The stream of 

 gold poured into Scotland each year by the community of 

 sportsmen throughout the length and breadth of the land 

 benefits all classes, and Scotsmen are wise in seeing to it 

 that by no diminution of care or attention on their part 

 shall this golden flood be stemmed ; would that Irishmen 

 might soon follow the example set by their Scottish 

 brethren. 



On first attempting to shoot strong cock capercaillie, 

 sportsmen should remember that these birds move at 

 considerable velocity when well on the wing. Those in- 

 experienced in the ways of the " king of grouse " have 

 been known to be considerably chagrined on missing 

 seemingly easy shots taken at these birds sailing along 

 past them in the open. Possibly the old precept regard- 

 ing the unwisdom of under-rating an enemy might here 

 be taken to heart, the tendency of most novices in the 

 shooting of capers being to under-estimate the speed of 

 their quarry. Then again, in judging the speed of flight 

 of birds, sportsmen, possibly, are too disposed to take 

 the amount of fuss and noise as, in some degree, indica- 

 tive of velocity, thus in a general way to assume that 

 the greater the noise the greater the speed. With 

 respect to the bird under discussion such assumption will 

 be more than likely to lead them into error, for it is 

 remarkable that whilst both even and rapid, the flight of 

 the capercaillie is comparatively noiseless. 



With regard to the shooting of black game I would 

 say, that from the thoroughly sporting and humane point 

 of view, August 20 is a somewhat too early date for the 

 commencement of the black game shooting season. By 



