2i i THE SHOOTER'S GUIDE* 



excusable. The pleasure of anticipation, the desire 

 of becoming an expert marksman, the vanity attach- 

 ed to the attainment of this so much wished-for ob- 

 ject, all conspire to prompt the tyro to neglect, or at 

 kast treat slightly, in the first instance, those neces- 

 sary accompaniments, which mature consideration 

 will point out as equally essential. 



In the first place,! wish to impress on the mind of 

 the young sportsman, that, however plain and easy 

 the rules may be laid down, some practice at least will 

 be found indispensably necessary, in order to enable 

 him to follow those rules with precision. In fact, 

 this is a science which cannot be taught by mere 

 description : but, at the same time, I am confident, 

 that instructions may be given, by the judicious prac- 

 tice of which, any person may, in a short time, ac- 

 quire the art of shooting flying with tolerable cer- 

 tainty. 



As a means of attaining this art, young sportsmen 

 are advised, by the thoughtless, to shoot at swallows ; 

 and many, I doubt not, after killing some of these 

 useful birds, have been chagrined beyond measure to 

 find themselves unable to bring down a partridge. 

 Indeed, I am persuaded, that swallow-shooting is of- 

 little or no service ; as the flight of these birds is so 

 unlike that of those which are the object of sport, 

 that this practice seems to answer no other purpose, 

 than that of destroying little animals, which not only 

 cheer the dawn with sweet notes, and enliven the day 

 with their fluttering, but are also of essential service, 

 by destroying myriads of noxious insects* 



