52 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN". 



The eye in a correct light is seldom wrong in its calculations, 

 seldom deceived as regards distances or positions; seldom, in 

 fact, at fault in any one particular; it is to some one of the 

 many other circumstances upon which the proper handling of 

 the fowling-piece is dependent, that we must attribute the fre 

 quent habit of missing ; such, for example, as a want of self- 

 possession, over-anxiety, careless loading, hurry, nervousness, 

 or some such causes. Be careful not to shut both eyes just 

 at the instant of pulling the trigger, as some beginners do ; 

 neither pull the muzzle of the gun up or down with a sudden 

 jerk, but let it lie perfectly free in the grasp. By following 

 these few instructions, although you may miss your Bird over 

 and over again, during the first day's shooting, still, we are con- 

 fident that you will succeed in a very short space of time to 

 some considerable cleverness in the art. When there is a fair 

 and open shot and the Bird not killed, you may depend upon 

 it that it was not properly covered ; or if it was, the gun, by 

 some imperceptible movement, must have been carried from its 

 proper direction at the instant of firing, or the Bird might have 

 perchance varied its straight course at the critical moment of 

 being covered. One of these three things must have taken 

 place provided the gun was loaded properly, otherwise the Bird 

 would have inevitably been brought down. We do not pretend 

 to say that every one going for the first time into the field shall 

 acquire in an incredibly short time this beautiful accomplish- 

 ment of shooting flying, by the mere committing of any set of 

 rules for the handling of a gun. But, on the other hand, we 

 must assure the novice that, without pretty constant practice 

 and great attention, he will never attain the art; but when once 

 acquired, it is seldom lost, except temporarily, so long as the 

 visual organs are perfect and the physical powers sufficiently 

 strong to carry him into the field in pursuit of game. No doubt 

 thousands of Sportsmen arrive at great excellence in shooting 

 without ever reading a line on the subject, or receiving a word 

 of advice from the more experienced ; but still, their progress 

 has been very slow and up-hill kind of work, and accomplished 

 at last only by long practice and observation. We do not, 

 however, wish our readers to understand that any one can ac- 

 quire the art of shooting flying without ^Jrti/e?2(?e, practice^ and 



