262 MANUAL FOB YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



fire across the face of your companion ; or at a bird, which, 

 rising between you, or even before yourself, flies so that it 

 must cross him. When shooting, two persons together, in 

 the open, every animal which crosses to the right belongs 

 to the right-hand shooter, and vice versa ,- and the other has 

 no more right to fire at such, until he to whom it belongs 

 has missed it with both his barrels, than to fire at it when 

 falling or after it is down. 



There is no greater breach of courtesy and decorum 

 possible, than the violation of this rule. If it arise from 

 ignorance, carelessness, or the over-eagerness and excitement 

 of youth, it may be pardoned ; but the person who commits 

 it is likely to be avoided as a most undesirable companion. 



He who errs, as many do, wilfully in this respect, from 

 a nasty, selfish jealousy, and the desire of bagging more 

 birds in the course of a day's shooting than his friend, and 

 bragging of it afterward, as is the usual habit of such 

 characters, may be set down at once, so far as sportsman- 

 ship is concerned, however estimable he may be in other 

 respects, as no gentleman. Such a partner is to be avoided 

 with as much care on a sporting excursion, as is a gentle- 

 man cutaneously afflicted, more Scotico, for a bedfellow. 



Shots which fly straight away before the face o'f both 

 shooters must be taken alternately; and it is well to 

 remember that it is always graceful to give the shot, espe- 

 cially to a senior. 



When a bevy of quail, several snipe in a whisp, or 

 more birds than one of any species, rise in front of two 

 shooters, each man should invariably fire at the outside 

 birds on his own side. 



