ENGLISH DRIVING 215 



more or less in your dropping the muzzle of the gun 

 and shooting underneath. You will often see very 

 bad practice made at grouse flying very low, creeping 

 as it were over the heather, and perhaps going slowly 

 against the wind. Here all the missing takes place 

 from shooting under them. The only way to avoid it 

 is to form the habit of firing the instant the gun is firm 

 on the shoulder, and of striking your aim high, almost 

 as though you would shoot just over the bird's back. 



Many people think they miss these birds from 

 shooting in front of them. I fancy this is rarely 

 the case, but at any rate the matter can be easily 

 tested by firing one or two shots straight at them, and 

 watching the result. You will find that you kill low- 

 flying birds more easily when they are above you than 

 below, a fact which sufficiently proves that in aiming 

 at the latter it is the depression of the muzzle which 

 accounts for the missing. Keep the left arm well 

 forward, and lift it well, relying upon this member 

 entirely for the swing and support of your piece. 

 You have less to guide your eye in the way of station- 

 ary objects, such as trees, &c., in grouse driving, and 

 therefore you must make up your mind to rely more 

 than ever on calculation as to where to aim. The 

 principle, which I have before advocated, of rapidly 

 deciding in your mind where the spot is in the air at 



