ENGLISH DRIVING 187 



long way, and are flying up hill. The slant of their 

 course will bring them obliquely across you, heading 

 straight for No. 5 and here is a good chance to get 

 four with your two guns. Take the outside one on 

 your right, they are sure to swing away a little when 

 you fire, but those on your left will still cross near 

 enough to deal with easily. Good ! he is stone dead, 

 the second also, an easy cross shot straight in front, 

 the third a miss, though an easy chance, and the 

 fourth cleverly dropped by a longish shot just as they 

 were swinging back all together. No. 5 kills one, close 

 to your last, for they are now almost in front of him, 

 and they are gone ; back over the ridge. 



That third shot was a pity, and arose from too 

 much haste and flurry in changing your gun ; quite 

 unnecessary, for there was really plenty of time, as 

 there was another bird much nearer to you than the 

 one you fired at with your fourth barrel. Bear this 

 in mind another time. Here come two straight to 

 you from under the ridge ; take care, for these are 

 coming thrice as fast as the last, the side wind helping 

 them a little, and rather higher. Slightly to your right 

 the}' come over at express pace ; ah ! your first barrel 

 was neither high enough nor forward enough, as you 

 see by those little floating white feathers from under 

 his tail, but swinging quickly you killed him well 



