SHOOTING. 203 



hesitation in recommending the practice. But I have met with 

 others, who shut both eyes when they pull the trigger ; and others 

 again, who jerk back their heads at this moment such are not 

 likely to become dead shots ! 



It may not be amiss to observe, that a sort of unconscious or 

 involuntary motion or movement of the arms and body accom- 

 panies the level, which should not be checked till after the piece 

 is discharged if stopped at the moment of pulling the trigger, 

 the bird, most likely, will fly away. Also, for a very long shot, 

 the level should be higher than usual, as the shot will not fly 

 any very great distance before it begins to curve downwards. 

 In levelling, the fowling piece should be held firmly to the 

 shoulder, the left hand placed either close to the trigger guard, 

 or a few inches in advance : the former is perhaps safer, in case 

 the barrel burst ; but I, nevertheless, prefer the latter, in order 

 to prevent the gun becoming point heavy. I always ram well 

 home the powder, in a patent breech, if not more than a pro- 

 per quantity is used, will always lie loose (and thus ignites much 

 better) as the wadding cannot be forced farther than the top of 

 the breech (and the closer the wadding fits the better) ; the shot 

 should certainly be well rammed. The fowling piece, too, will 

 require wiping out once or twice in a hard day's shooting ; also 

 on going out in the morning, it should be aired by firing a little 

 powder: if percussion priming is used, it will be necessary to 

 place wadding over the powder in the barrel, or it will be apt to 

 be driven out unexploded, such is the force of percussion prim- 

 ing, that it drives the atmospheric air with such violence before 

 it, as to expel the powder before the fire reaches it. 



Flints should be changed frequently, to prevent missing fire 

 this is avoided with the percussion priming. 



It sometimes happens, that a sportsman may coek the gun, and, 

 not firing, have occasion to let down the cock in doing which, 

 he should let the cock pass, and, bringing it back to the half- 



