ON THE CHOICE OF SHOT GUNS 51 



will soon become unconscious that he is blocking out anything 

 from either eye. 



As the ability of the eyes has had to be referred to here, it 

 may be well to remark that any normal eyes can see the shot 

 in flight against the sky, and this ability has been used to 

 advantage in coaching shooters. To see this phenomenon, 

 stand slightly behind the shooter, and look for a little darkening 

 of the sky in the direction of the aim ; it will be easily seen about 

 the time the shot has spread to a foot, or so, diameter. Whether 

 anyone can see the shot much nearer than 1 5 yards or farther 

 away than 20 yards is questionable ; the spread of the pellets 

 reduces the dark shade-like appearance, and it vanishes. 

 Consequently, experts who see clay birds apparently in the 

 middle of the pellets may be quite correct at short distances, 

 and appearances may be absolutely wrong for game or clay 

 targets at distances farther away than the shot can be detected. 

 The bird may have flown another two yards by the time the 

 shot intersects its line of flight. Consequently, this ability of 

 the coach to see the shot should only be relied upon at about 

 20 yards range. 



