106 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAtf. 



the powder, and the escape of the load from the barrel. All this, 

 to-be-sure, appears only to be a momentary, if not an instanta- 

 neous affair ; but such is not the fact, as every shooter can testify 

 to ; for it is a self-evident fact that some time must elapse between 

 the accomplishment of these two acts the pulling of the trigger 

 and the escape of the charge from the gun. This time will be 

 regulated in a great measure by the quality of the powder and 

 the construction of the gun, which, however, will be spoken of 

 particularly under a more appropriate head. If, therefore, the 

 motion of the gun be stopped during the time of pulling the 

 trigger and the escape of the load, the bird will inevitably have 

 got beyond the reach of the shot, unless we should allow double 

 the distance to intervene between the bird and the point of sight, 

 and this kind of shooting would be very uncertain. Therefore, 

 we repeat again that it is of the utmost importance that the gun 

 should continue its gentle movement in the line of flight at the 

 proper distance in advance of the game till after the pulling of 

 the trigger. Most young shots have a strong inclination to arrest 

 the progress of the gun when pulling the trigger, which, if not 

 early corrected, degenerates into a settled habit that is very diffi- 

 cult to be overcome. 



A bird crossing to the right is generally considered more difficult 

 to shoot than when going to the left, and very justly so ; as the gun, 

 being balanced on the left hand, can be carried towards that side 

 with more ease and freedom than it can towards the right. If any 

 of our readers are dubious on this point, let him take a gun in his 

 hand and place himself in the usual position to fire, and he will 

 readily perceive what we mean, as upon trial he will find it difficult 

 to take sight on an object even at right angles with his right side, 

 whereas he will be able to turn himself with ease so far to the left 

 that he can shoot in a direct line behind his person. 



A bird when crossing is much easier killed, if struck, than 

 when going straight from you or coming towards you, as the vital 

 parts are somewhat protected in the first case by the rump, and 

 in the second the shot is very apt to glance off from the thick 



