BEGINNING TO SHOOT 125 



sock at night when I undressed — it did not pierce 

 the skin. 



As to keeping yourself informed where the two 

 guns on either side of you are, it is not, of course, 

 always easy. When my brother and I are shooting 

 alone we constantly, by calling, keep in touch with 

 each other in thick covert ; and, to some extent, 

 this is practicable where there are more guns than 

 two. It has, no doubt, this disadvantage : game, 

 furred and feathered, will often hear one's voice 

 and avoid one. This is especially the case in 

 rabbit -shooting with dogs. In walking through 

 the covert you stop now and then at favourable 

 open spots, and wait in order to get a clear shot at 

 a rabbit, which, pressed by the dogs, will very likely 

 cross there. After long experience of a wood or 

 common you come to know all the best spots to 

 take your stand at when the dogs are giving tongue. 

 It goes against the grain, having reached such a 

 spot, to call even in a low voice to your neighbour 

 out of sight, or to respond to his call, ^' Where are 

 you, So-and-So ? " Rabbits creeping about in the 

 fern and brambles near by will, hearing your voice, 

 be very shy of crossing the open space, and, even 

 with the dogs or beaters hot upon them, will turn 

 back or aside. Hence I have known keen sports- 

 men object to call at all in covert. But we do it at 

 home, and we manage to get plenty of sport, plenty 

 of shots of all descriptions at rabbits going at all 

 paces. I like them best (though I may not get them 

 oftenest)when they are going as hard as they can pelt. 



