Bob White, the Game Bird of America. 683 



from each covey flushed. When it is remembered that the usual number of birds 

 found in a covey runs from ten to eighteen, it will give some idea of the difficulties to 

 be overcome, and the large proportion of birds that escape even with good shooting, 

 as the same record shows that seventy-three out of every hundred birds shot at were 

 brought to bag. This record, extending over four years and running up into the 

 thousands of birds killed, gives very reliable data to base calculations upon. 



•• The dogs I hunted with I have every reason to believe are above the average in 

 speed, endurance, and scenting powers ; so there is only one conclusion to arrive at, 

 and that is that these birds are exceedingly difficult both to find and to kill. 



•• There are many opinions as to the proper method of shooting on the wing. Some 

 hold that 'snap-shooting' is the only way to shoot successfully. Snap-shooting is 

 generally understood to consist in putting the gun to the shoulder and firing the instant 

 it is in position ; making the allowance to the right, left, under, or above, as the case 



require, before raising the gun ; just as you point your finger, instinctively, to any 

 object without having to sight along it. Others are just as sure that no one ever shot 

 decently unless he followed the bird with the sight on the gun and covered it before 

 firing. Some, again, insist that you must swing your gun along with the course of the 

 bird after pulling the trigger. In my opinion, every one who has shot very much 

 acquires a style peculiar to himself, and depending on his temperament and the kinds 

 of birds he has had the most practice on. 



" It may be well to give a few hints as to the necessary allowance to be made in 

 taking aim at a bird flying so rapidly as Bob White. The most difficult shot is a bird 

 coming directly toward you, and flying about twenty feet above the ground. I have 

 been quite successful in this shot, by holding directly at the bird until he is within 

 range, and then, just as I touch the trigger, I raise the muzzle of the gun about six 

 1 would only advise trying this shot where there is more than one bird, and 



vant to use the second barrel. When there is only one incoming bird, wait until 

 he passes over you, and then by shooting under him, more or less, according to the 

 speed and elevation at which he is flying, you will be pretty sure to kill. 



" In cross shots, at thirty yards and over, hold above the line of flight and from six 

 to nine feet ahead of the bird. This may seem entirely too much, but I have frequently 

 shot Hob White when flying parallel to a rail-fence, when I aimed the full length of 

 the rail ahead of him, this being nearly twelve feet 



The shooting of Bob White demands such quick action in hand- 

 ling the gun, and such long tramps to discover his retreats, that I 

 would advise light guns for his pursuit. A pound more in weight 

 will be felt in the afternoon of a long day's hunt, and the rapidity 

 and ease with which a light and short gun can be handled makes it 

 very efficient in snap-shooting in covert. A twelve-gauge seven- 

 pound gun, of twenty-eight-inch barrels, carrying one ounce of No. 

 8 shot and three drams of powder, or a sixteen-guage of six pounds 

 weight and twenty-six-inch barrels, charged with seven-eighths of 

 an ounce of shot and two and three-quarter drams of powder, is to 



