200 SHOOTING. 



ling at any individual bird, and the whole fly away, leaving the 

 sportsman much chagrined at the disappointment. On the re- 

 currence of several of these disappointments, the dog will become 

 uneasy, and will not hunt with his wonted cheerfulness : the fall 

 of the bird gives as much pleasure to the dog as to the shooter; 

 and a capital dog, if no game be killed to him, will become 

 careless, and eventually good for nothing. Practice, however, 

 will soon overcome the obstacles just mentioned ; and with an 

 ordinary share of self-command, no person need despair of be- 

 coming a tolerable shot. By way of illustration, I will, once 

 more, suppose the young shooter in the field, with two dogs : 

 he perceives one drawing on the scent, and settling to a point 

 let him call out toho! holding up his hand at the same time : 

 the word will induce greater care in the first dog, and if the 

 other should not be aware of the game, he will immediately look 

 about him, and seeing his master's hand, will keep his position 

 (no matter what his situation may be, either before or behind the 

 shooter) or, to speak as a sportsman, will back* I will sup- 

 pose both the dogs perfectly steady let the sportsman advance, 

 deliberately, up to the setting dog; and, if the game should not 

 spring, let him go before the dog if the birds should run, in- 

 stead of taking wing, he will be aware of the circumstance, by 

 the dog following ; but if the dog follows or foots too eagerly, 

 he should be checked by the words take heed / These are anx- 

 ious moments, but the sportsman must, nevertheless, summon 

 all his fortitude, and continue as calm as possible, with his thumb 

 on the cock : when the game springs, pull up the cock, select 

 an individual object if the bird flies straight forward, it is a 

 very easy shot ; let the sportsman direct his eye down the barrel, 

 and the instant he perceives the bird on a line with the muzzle, 

 let him pull the trigger; in levelling, however, the aim should 

 be directed rather above, than below, the object ; for the shot, 

 if correctly thrown, will form its centre from the centre of the 



