752 A Day with the Rails. 



convenient position in loading; for, on opening the gun, the right 

 hand unlocks the breech-action while the left holds the gun 

 with a grasp around the barrels and fore-end. Thus the right 

 hand is free to extract the exploded shells and to take the cartridges 

 from the pocket and slip them into the breech chambers without it 

 being necessary to relieve the left hand's grasp on the gun. Also, 

 as soon as the gun is loaded, the left hand is in position to bring 

 the orun to the shoulder for aim and fire. Much of the success 

 of rail-shooting depends on the rapidity with which the gunner can 

 take advantage of shots presented by numbers of birds rising in 

 rapid succession. 



In the bottom of the boats were several blocks of wood 

 painted white. The uses of these the young sportsman soon found 

 out. 



Before starting, they wrapped around the calf of their right legs 

 several folds of thick flannel. This was to act as a sort of buffer to 

 rest against the edge of the seat just forward of midship, before 

 which "they were to stand in shooting. The calf of the right leg 

 rested against it, with the left leg placed well forward, but all without 

 any stiffness of posture. When the boat is shoved forward by the 

 pusher, it moves through the resisting oats with a sort of jerk, and 

 the calf of the right leg of the gunner is thrown at each push 

 back against the edge of the seat which braces him. The wearing 

 of the flannel, though not absolutely necessary, and by some prob- 

 ably regarded as effeminate, will add greatly to the comfort of 

 a day's shooting, in the course of which the leg receives a great 

 many rubs and thumps. 



During the trip to the shooting-grounds, the pusher, who was 

 now also guardian and instructor to the son of an old patron, laid 

 down various precepts which the youngster was to follow in rail- 

 shooting, interspersed with many interesting anecdotes illustra- 

 ting the curious habits of these interesting little birds. He told 

 his pupil that he must stand at ease, with his legs not too stiff, so 

 that he should preserve an upright position ; and that he must keep 

 his feet steadily in one position while he was ready with his gun to 

 shoot ; that he must be quick with his gun, for a bird would often 

 rise at twenty yards or more away and merely flit up, and then 

 drop down in the oats ; but that he must let a bird get off some dis- 



