CO VER T-SHO TING. \ 39 



first " gallery shot " came to his share, knowing 

 perhaps who was watching at the window not with- 

 out an opera-glass felt great relief and satisfaction 

 in his fall. 



It is a great thing to kill your first shot properly, 

 for knocking down your game and killing it are two 

 very different matters. There should be no flustering 

 or spinning in the air, or easily inclined descents, 

 followed by, oh, horror ! active pedestrianism on the 

 ground. Too many feathers left in the air indicate 

 too great proximity to his tail ; they should be few 

 and small, struck from the head, neck, and breast 

 only. So should the " rocketer " fall ; as straight to 

 earth as the velocity of his previous flight or the 

 force of the wind will allow, and, falling, never move 

 so much as a feather. This done with your first 

 pheasant gives you confidence ; you have " got the 

 range ; " you know that nothing is wrong with di- 

 gestion or sight, and you feel that for that day you 

 are sure to do your duty. Then follow a few more 

 birds equally distributed among the four professionals, 



