TAKING AIM. 5 



a far better target for practice than any small bird or other 

 similar object, which is nevertheless much more tempting to 

 the eye. 



Shooting flying is a much more difficult art, and a long 

 apprenticeship is necessary to acquire it. Considerable differ- 

 ence of opinion exists as to the use of both eyes in this kind 

 of shooting, or of the right one only ; but my own belief is 

 that few people really use both at the moment of shooting, 

 even if they keep them both open. But, whether shutting 

 the left or not, there must be no attempt at looking along the 

 barrel, the correct pointing of the gun being acquired by 

 looking at the object to be shot at, and then instinctively 

 directing the gun towards it. In doing this the line of sight 

 must coincide nearly with the upper surface of the barrel, if 

 the butt of the gun is at the shoulder. Still the eye must not 

 be taken off the object to look along the barrel, or the aim 

 will be imperfect, and the shot probably a "miss." It is 

 quite true that some sportsmen adopt the opposite plan, and 

 invariably wait till they can bring the " sight" to cover the 

 object aimed at ; but they are always slow shots, and are 

 almost sure to shoot behind every variety of bird or ground 

 game crossing them ; because in this case they should aim in 

 front, proportioning the extent according to the velocity at 

 which the animal is moving. I have heard of an instance in 

 which a partridge flying down wind, was killed at a distance 

 (carefully measured) of one hundred yards from the shooter, 

 who assured me that he aimed, as he thought, fully five yards 

 in front of the bird as it was crossing, and flying exactly 

 parallel with the opposite hedge into which it fell. A very 

 good plan for beginners is to get a friend to throw a potato 

 or turnip into the air, varying its direction at each throw. 

 It should not be sent directly up into the air, because there 

 is then a moment of time at which it is stationary, and may 

 be hit almost as easily as a dead mark ; but by throwing 

 straight away, or from left to right and vice versa, the flight 

 of birds may be imitated, and the shooter may obtain prac- 

 tice in everything but the excitement produced by the 

 " whirr" of the partridge or pheasant, to which, however, he 

 must accustom himself by practice before his nerves will be 

 steady enough to allow him to shoot well. 



