PR A CTICE FOR R O CKE TING BIRDS 1 8 1 



fatal. But I fear I am wandering somewhat from the 

 subject, and must reserve mention of stags and deer- 

 stalking for the present. 



Very good practice may be obtained for shooting 

 ' rocketing ' birds by using the glass-balls, the trap 

 being placed on one side of a wall and the gun on the 

 other ; and many a man who feels that he is not a good 

 enough shot to appear at the covert-side and hold his 

 own, may very speedily learn how to make very fair 

 shooting. The gun should be placed a few yards from 

 the wall, and the glass-balls can be sent over at nearly 

 any angle or height. Such practice would prove in- 

 valuable to men who live in London or large towns, 

 and rarely get any chance of learning or keeping their 

 hand in, for it is a very easy matter to go down by 

 train to some farm in the country for an hour or two 

 occasionally. Even if a glass-ball trap is not available, 

 anyone who can throw can be requisitioned to throw 

 turnips or a cricket-ball over a high wall, and so really 

 useful practice can be obtained. In the latter substi- 

 tute for the trap, it is advisable to have a man stationed 

 behind the gun so as to return the ball. Tame 

 pigeons when flying homewards are also good practice. 

 They can be driven backward and forward over the 

 gun. 



Having described how to shoot birds at different 

 angles, it remains for me to instruct the beginner in 

 the more ordinary straight shooting, i.e.^ at birds 

 getting up in front of him. In this case he must 

 fire at the bird the instant it setdes down in its flight, 

 after its first sudden rise from off the ground. He 

 must not be in a hurry, but collect his thoughts, and 

 notice if the bird is rising in its flight, by — if he is 



