SUGGESTIONS TO SPORTSMEN. 277 



lities are, that a yellow-leg snipe shot at more than 

 thirty-five yards off, would once in five times carry 

 away the few pellets that may strike him ; and at 

 forty yards escape entirely untouched. If the reader 

 will select the best target his gun can make with an 

 ounce of No. 8 shot at forty yards, and see how 

 many spaces there are entirely vacant large enough 

 to contain a snipe, he will be convinced that the 

 above statement is correct ; and at fifty yards, the 

 chances are three to one against the marksman. Sir 

 Francis Francis, who is a good authority in Eng- 

 land, says, that to kill one bird in two shots is good 

 shooting ; and there the grounds are almost always 

 open, while the reverse is the case with us. 



Do not be discouraged, therefore, if the sun gets 

 in your eyes, your foot slips, the bird dodges, a few 

 floating feathers are the only result of your effort, 

 or you make a clean miss; others do the same. 

 Neither lose your temper nor curse your luck, as by 

 so doing you may excite your nerves and injure 

 your shooting, and cannot improve it. Be cool, 

 never shoot without an attempt at aim, if it is only 

 where the bird disappeared; take your disappoint- 

 ments pleasantly, strive to do your best, and you 

 will improve. 



Many ducks fly at least ninety miles an hour ; 

 that is, twenty-six hundred yards a minute, or forty- 

 four yards a second ; if, therefore, a duck starts at 

 your feet with that velocity, and you require a 

 second to cover him, he will be out of range ; or 

 if he is flying across, and you dwell one forty-fourth 



