PEACTISING.j 



SHOOTING, 



[fiuixg. 



required movements is obtained. Expertuess 

 in rising or depressing the gun to every kind 

 of level, and taking aim at various objects, 

 should be acquired. Holding the gun firm to 

 the shoulder is a great essential ; for anything 

 like looseness and unsteadiness in this par- 

 ticular is entirely incompatible witli the art of 

 shootinjr flvins:. The left hand should also be 

 placed close, or nearly close, to the trigger — 

 an act which, in a great measure, secures any 

 injury from the bursting of the piece. This 

 precautionary rule is, however, neglected by a 

 vast number of able and expert shooters, who 

 h;ive perfect confidence in their guns ; and 

 who maintain, that by placing the hand a little 

 forward, it prevents the piece from being point- 

 heavy, which is apt to cause an unpleasant 

 feeling. 



After this initiation has been fairly passed 

 tlirough, the fields should be entered for the 

 purpose of practising at living objects, lairing at 

 martens aiid swallows has been recommended; 

 but others do not think this to be the best 

 means of acquiring the power of good fly- 

 ing shooting. The movements of these birds 

 are altogether difl^erent from those which dis- 

 tinguish game of all kinds. Sparrows having 

 been entrapped, and pieces of paper put round 

 their neck, and then let oft", make very good 

 marks. Learu the art of keeping both eyes 

 open. This is, with some, an extremely diffi- 

 cult matter to attain, as young lads are often 

 from infancy accustomed to take aim only with 

 one eye — the right one. These early habits 

 are sometimes so powerful, that it is almost 

 liopeless to expect their relinquishment in after 

 life. " If the young shooter begins to shoot 

 with both eyes open," says Colonel Hawker, 

 " he will save himself the trouble of learning 

 to shoot so afterwards. An aim thus from 

 the right shoulder, comes to the same point as 

 one taken with the left eye shut, and it is the 

 most ready method of shooting quicJcy Celerity 

 of motion should be learned ; but the happy 

 medium between snap-shot and dead-shot 

 should be considered the principal point, and 

 sedulously studied. 



A steady and decisive jQode of walking and 

 standing is another point requiring great at- 

 tention in the shooter. An indecisive gait, and 

 ever\ thing indicating the slightest degree of 

 hurry or trepidation, are inimical to successful 

 526 



sport. It is said that a firm placing of the 

 limbs greatly assists the arms in readily and 

 gracefully elevating and presenting the fowl- 

 ing-piece. In the regular ranks of the 

 soldiery, we never witness anything like trepi- 

 dation. There, every movement is performed 

 with the utmost coolness and precision ; and 

 the same should be observed by the sportsman 

 in the field. The gun should be carried with 

 the barrel upwards, and sloped towards the 

 left arm, the lock being clasped by the hand 

 of that side, the fingers embracing tlie stock, 

 which allows the arm, tliough supporting the 

 gun, to do it with readiness and ease, and to 

 be placed with facility within the grasp of the 

 hand previous to the designed elevation. The 

 points are, " to carry the gun with the cock 

 inwards, and down, and the side of the stock 

 imbedded against the inside of your left arm, 

 taking an easy position, considerably below the 

 chest." 



" In the acts of cocking," says the clever 

 author of the Kunoposdia, " let your fore-finger 

 quit the front of the trigger, and, extending 

 itself sloping forward through the guard, only 

 feel the side of it with a gentle pressure. 

 Your body, by this action of throwing out the 

 butt, combined with the step-out of the left 

 leg in taking form, will be brought with its 

 weight principally upon that limb ; a position 

 assumed as more immediately called for, when 

 the flight is nearly in a line from you, or to 

 the left, which will comprise four out of five 

 of all your shots." Again, when the word 

 Present ■' is used audibly or mentally, let tho 

 barrel, at the moment, inclined over the left 

 shoulder, be swept in a circle forwards with a 

 smart motion, the fore-finger of the right hand 

 (sloping, as we have before placed it through 

 the guard, and clear of the front of the trigger) 

 being, as it were, the centre of motion upon 

 which the gun turns during the sweep ; by 

 which action the butt should be raised nearly 

 to its full height, and then brought back with 

 something of a thump into its place within the 

 slioulder, whilst, at the same time, an increas- 

 ing grasp with the left hand, which till now 

 has kept its hold rather loosely, combines with 

 that of tlie right hand upon the gripe of the 

 stock, to keep it firmly there. The direction 

 of the barrel to the mark, or what may be 

 termed the line of level, to be taken, in the first 



