PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



CHAPTER I. 



To lay down rules by the observance of which the ma- 

 jority of bad shots may become experts is sufficiently easy ; 

 but the trouble is, however great the determination to fol- 

 low the given precepts, so soon as game is flushed the in- 

 structions are thrown to the winds, and bang, bang go 

 both barrels, with the same hurried unsuccessful results as 

 previously. That more birds are missed by shooting too 

 quickly, I assert as indisputable ; and knowing this to be 

 the case, why will it continue to be practiced ? For this 

 reason, that many are so fearfully nervous that for the mo- 

 ment they have no control of their actions, or they are so 

 timid that although firing off their gun they consider a 

 duty, they believe the sooner it is got through with the 

 better: neither of such pupils is ever likely to become a 

 crack shot. I have a friend who is, without exception, the 

 most unlucky shot I was going to say the worst that 

 ever I met. We at one period very frequently shot to- 

 gether, and each evening, on our tramp home, he was cer- 

 tain to tell me that he had discovered the reason for his ap- 

 parent want of skill. How various the causes attributed, 

 would be beyond possibility of enumeration ; however, he 

 always devised some means of counteracting them viz., 

 by stuffing cotton in his ears, not to hear the spring of the 

 game ! to wear a loose collar, so that he could the better 



