COURSING, ETC. 231 



tier whilst running, and especially if at a 

 distance, the animal will only be slightly 

 struck in the buttocks, and go away with 

 the shot : when a bird however is flying in 

 a straight line from the shooter, this fault 

 can do no harm, the object can scarcely 

 escape if the piece be but tolerably well di- 

 rected ; unless indeed it is fired at the mo- 

 ment the game springs, and before the bird 

 has taken an horizontal flight ; in that case, 

 if the hand should stop ever so little at the 

 instant of firing, the sportsman will shoot 

 iow and miss the bird. It becomes there- 

 fore extremely essential to accustom the hand 

 in taking aim to follow the object without sus- 

 pending the motion in the least degree, 

 which is a capital point towards acquiring 

 the art of shooting well ; but the contrary 

 habit, which is difficult to correct when once 

 contracted, prevents that person from attain- 

 ing perfection in the art, who in other respects 

 may eminently possess quickness of sight and 

 steadiness of aim. Nor is it less essential in 

 a cross shot, to aim before the object, in 

 X 2 



