50 THE COMPLETE SHOT 



tection of the public and guidance of the trade. This changes 

 from time to time, but at present it gives very full information 

 of the meaning of the various foreign proof marks as well as of 

 our own. 



CROSS-EYED STOCKS 



It is often suggested that a thumb-stall which stands up 

 and blocks the fore sight from the left eye is an assistance to 

 right-shouldered shooters, and sometimes it is. But as it has 

 no effect on the manner of bringing up the weapon, it must 

 require revision to get the correct aim if the weapon is not 

 brought up correctly. The author thinks that a long course of 

 shutting the left eye will force the right eye into becoming 

 governing eye by habit. Some people have neither eye greatly 

 the governor, so that each has an influence on the manner of 

 the "present," and helps to fix the point the gun is brought 

 up to. This point may be half-way between the extended 

 lines from the two eyes to the foresight, and permits of no 

 real alignment until the gun is moved after presentation, 

 which is always slow. For such men nothing but shutting one 

 eye will be of much use, but for those who have a controlling 

 left eye it is different, and a cross-eyed stock, or shooting from 

 the left shoulder, is to be recommended. Those who have a 

 control eye need not necessarily be able to see the game with 

 it. Provided they see the latter with one eye and take alignment 

 of the breech and fore sight with the control eye, that is enough. 

 If the eyes are pairs that is, not crossed and produce on the 

 brain but one image of an object focused, then the direction of 

 the alignment over or upon the game or target is accomplished 

 in the brain, and the hands obey. That is to say, the left eye 

 may be unable to see the sights, and the right eye may be 

 unable to see the game, but as the images on both are super- 

 imposed on the brain the aim is quite correct for normal eyes. 

 A beginner thinks this impossible, but if he uses a thumb-stall, 

 and blocks the fore sight from the left eye, and puts a card 

 over the muzzle, so as to block the right eye from seeing the 

 target, and then focuses the latter, and not the fore sight, he 



