182 EVILS OF SHOOTING TOO QUICKLY 



shooting at partridges — keeping his eye on the first 

 bird he means to stop out of the covey going away, 

 and he must always fire over it when it is going very 

 straight. 



Nine times out of ten, when men are shooting at 

 partridges in turnips late in the season, particularly in 

 windy weather, they fire too low, and very often too 

 quickly, under the mistaken notion that the wind will 

 carry the birds out of shot before the gun can be laid 

 on them. On days when the light is bad birds often 

 appear much farther off than they really are, and thus 

 many a bird gets off, which if fired at with steady 

 nerves and in a deliberate manner would be stopped 

 clean. 



When birds of any kind are being driven towards 

 the gun, it is necessary that the position of the body 

 of the sportsman should be such that the gun may be 

 easily laid on the bird, no matter what pace the latter 

 may be coming down wind. I have found that at 

 such times, or when shooting at rocketing pheasants, 

 or any other ' heading ' shot, the following position is 

 the best calculated to enable the gun to be properly 

 swung, viz. : secure as good a command of the flight 

 as possible, and stand as easily and comfortably as 

 you can ; the toes should be turned somewhat in, in a 

 manner similar to the position of a cavalry soldier 

 performing the sword-exercise, only that the feet should 

 not be quite so far apart as in the latter instance. If 

 the toes are turned outwards it is impossible to turn 

 round as rapidly or steadily as when they are turned 

 in. I need give no further explanation, for anyone 

 can try it for himself, and he will at once see the 

 advantage of so standing ; and, moreover, the necessity 



