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brought to the pike-attitude and cocked, is 

 always the preparatory action for this shot*. 

 To be perfect in this, it requires a man to be 

 somewhat more of an adept than in the more 

 deliberate level of the other practice ; but under 

 the variety of service which may be called for, 

 a man who has any ambition to rank high in his 

 profession, will assuredly make himself master 

 of both. 



In the fulness with which I have here endea- 

 voured to treat this part of my subject, so 

 immediately related to the breaking of cover, 

 and which the reader will not fail to perceive 

 that I have, in the disposition of his person, all 

 along had in view, as essential to a complete 

 command of his fowling-piece, I am not certain 

 whether I may not have been led into somewhat 

 of amplification. But the experienced sports- 

 man can not fail to perceive my motive; and 

 will not, I therefore trust, think his time ill 



* In order to facilitate this motion, and to preclude a 

 touch of the but against the shoulder as the gun rises to 

 sight, take care that in the swing of the gun to bring it down 

 to the pike attitude, the but be kept well down by the right 

 arm, and thrown somewhat from you, so as to have a clear 

 and uncontrolled sweep up again to the present. If you 

 cramp your arm by an elevation of the elbow, so common in 

 the action of unskilful cocking, it will, to certainty almost, 

 make a stumble against your shoulder. 



P 



