BIPEDS AND QUADRUPEDS. 163 



ing from such circumstance, for I have done pretty 

 much the same thing, namely, at one time I piqued 

 myself no little on my certainty as a shot at 

 swallows — certainly a sport less justifiable than 

 the other ; for if the pigeon was not killed by a shot, 

 probably he would have been by a cook or poulterer ; 

 whereas the swallow, when dead, was useless. Per- 

 haps our author has not seen much .of pigeon shoot- 

 ing, I therefore venture the remark, that few persons 

 attempt trap pigeon shooting who are not first-rate 

 shots, and generally the bird falls stone dead, close 

 to or a few yards from the trap, and I think, when 

 so killed, dies quicker than when their necks are 

 broken. If a bird is severely wounded, yet flies be- 

 yond the proscribed distance, there are usually plenty 

 of persons, with and without guns, on the outside 

 who bring him down, or watch his falling ; and I 

 should say where one pigeon escapes to die a linger- 

 ing death, a very far greater proportion of game un- 

 dergo such catastrophe. I only fear Mr. Harrison's 

 feelings, and consequent remarks, are of too high an 

 order to be appreciated by the generality of those he 



