240 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



cause equal astonishment could such resurrection take 

 place. 



An old cock-pheasant coming down wind at express 

 speed and at an altitude of 100 ft. or more, certainly 

 is a " teaser." One of the prettiest sights in connection 

 with game-shooting is that of a cock-pheasant crumpled 

 up in mid-air, falling like a bolt precipitately to earth, 

 whilst moving at great height and speed. To see a 

 truly brilliant shot pick off bird after bird without the 

 slightest hesitancy, striking each one well forward, 

 killing cleanly and well, whilst a more or less unbroken 

 stream of pheasants is passing high overhead, is a sight 

 worth travelling some miles so see. Would that those who 

 discourse so eloquently but erroneously of the " modern 

 pheasant battue " could see this sport in such perfection ! 



Instead of hunting pheasants through spinney and 

 covert and killing them as they get up near at hand, 

 both host and gamekeeper now cudgel their brains, and 

 the energy of quite an army of beaters and stops is 

 requisitioned, to render the killing of the pheasants as 

 difficult as possible to the guns, over whom these birds 

 are directed. 



Great and increasing attention has been given of late 

 years to this matter of driving pheasants. Timber has 

 been felled, and new coverts planted, largely, if not 

 wholly, with the object of presenting higher and more 

 sporting shots, and generally with the view to render 

 pheasant-shooting more difficult. Hill-side or hanging 

 coverts, or shootings wherein are valleys in which the 

 guns can be posted, are naturally, under these circum- 

 stances, most highly prized. The gamekeeper who is 

 favoured with natural advantages such as these may 

 easily offer sport of a higher order than can those of his 



