188 GUN, ROD, AND SADDLE. 



evening, on our tramp home, he was certain to tell 

 me that he had discovered the reason for his apparent 

 want of skill. How various the causes attributed 

 would be beyond possibility of enumeration ; however, 

 he always devised some means of counteracting them 

 viz., by stuffing cotton in his ears, not to hear the 

 spring of the game ; to wear a loose collar, so that he 

 could the better and more rapidly bring his head to 

 the stock ; to discard a waistcoat, for the thickness of 

 cloth over his shoulder militated against bringing his 

 gun rapidly up. However, he was always wounding 

 birds at least he said so ; for constantly, if near, he 

 would call out, " Don't you see the feathers fly ?" 

 which, perhaps owing to my less keenness of vision, 

 I never perceived, save it were the feathers flying off 

 with the bird. Another peculiarity this gentleman 

 possessed was, that although he might have discharged 

 the entire contents of his shot-pouch without bagging 

 a single head, as soon as we both shot over the same 

 point, one or other of the birds knocked down was 

 due to his skill ; doubtless companionship reassured 

 him, or induced him to take more pains. I would 

 advise such, therefore, always to shoot in company, 

 only I would rather be excused becoming the compa- 

 ny. Of course occasionally he would knock over a 



