WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 215 



the earth, being unable to follow their course, and 

 do not perceive the sportsman so readily. But as a 

 natural consequence, the sportsman's ammunition 

 becomes damp and his clothes wet, while the old- 

 fogy owner of the muzzle-loader will unjustly anathe- 

 matize Eley's water-proof caps when his gun misses 

 fire, instead of blaming his own stupidity. The in- 

 sides of barrels will foul and the outsides rust ; the 

 loading-stick will become dirty and the sportsman's 

 hands and face grimy ; and then the happy possessor 

 of the breech-loader, when he handles his clean car- 

 tridges, although one occasionally may stick, will 

 thank his good fortune and bless Lefaucheaux. 



A strong wind forces the birds out of their safe 

 course, up and down the open "leads," upon the 

 various points where the fowler, selecting the most 

 favorable by watching the flight, takes his stand; 

 and, when they are heading against it, reduces their 

 speed from the lightning rate of ninety miles an 

 hour to reasonable deliberation ; but when they are 

 travelling with it, renders the art of killing them 

 one of no easy acquisition. 



In shooting wild-fowl, or in fact any rapid flying 

 birds, it is necessary to aim ahead of them not 

 that the. gun is actually fired ahead of them, but to 

 allow for the time, hardly perceptible to man, but 

 noticeable in the changed position of the birds, ne- 

 cessary to discharge the piece; and the distance 

 allowed must depend not only on the rapidity of 

 their flight, but on the customary quickness of the 

 marksman. The great fault of sportsmen is, that 



