SHOOTING. 225 



I have occasionally met with tolerable shots who have asserted 

 that they do not shut one eye when drawing the trigger, but 

 uniformly direct both eyes to the object ; others, again, will be 

 found who declare that they look directly at the bird, regardless 

 of running their eye down the gun-barrel. With a sportsman 

 of this latter description, I happened to be shooting for several 

 days in the month of August : he shot well, and asserted that 

 he merely kept his eye on the bird, without directing a Cyclop- 

 peep down the barrel of the fowling-piece. Of the correctness 

 of this assertion I could not avoid expressing my doubts, as he 

 shot much better than I conceived it possible for any one to do 

 who followed the random mode just mentioned. I, therefore, 

 determined to ascertain the point from personal observation ; 

 and with this view watched his motions for several successive 

 shots : he was a cool deliberate shooter ; but I had the satis- 

 faction of observing that he had no sooner selected his object, 

 than he bent his cheek to the stock, and maintained that usual 

 position till he had pulled the trigger. This I remarked to him ; 

 and he ultimately confessed that such was the real state of the 

 case, though he was unconscious of the circumstance till it was 

 so clearly pointed out to him. I am of opinion that it is scarcely 

 possible to become an expert or dead shot, without closing one 

 eye, and taking a deliberate aim with the gun-barrel down the 

 other. 



Pheasant shooting is ver laborious, and requires the sports-f 

 man to be properly equipped for a cover ; and, in my opinion, 

 strong woollen cloth gaiters are preferable to leather, as, in wet 

 weather, the latter are very uncomfortable, and the former are a 

 sufficient guard against the briars, &c. 



If the night before you shoot be wet, the droppings of the 

 trees will compel the pheasants to quit the woods ; and in this case 

 the hedge-rows and furze covers should be tried very carefully, 

 and good sport will most likely be obtained. This bird is much 



