328 SHOOTING 



his seat, sure to be saluted by a hasty shot from 

 some one, not the least to its detriment, but a very 

 narrow escape for tlie leading dogs. Away go the 

 pack, making the w^oods ring with their tongues. 

 Excited individuals race after them, often with their 

 guns on full cock, and their fingers on the trigger. 

 What their ideas may be in this performance is 

 difficult to say, but I suppose it is the effect of that 

 temporary insanity that seizes many people at the 

 sight of a rabbit. As a rabbit invariably runs a 

 ring, and returns to its starting-place, there is not 

 the least use, except for the sake of the exercise, in 

 trying to follow it ; and the first one put up is safe 

 to run his ring, as the good shots will not fire at 

 liim, that the youngsters may have a chance, and 

 the indifferent shots are sure to miss the first 

 through excitement. You hear plenty of shots 

 wliilst the dogs are running, as other rabbits, 

 frightened by their noise and passage, bolt from 

 their seats and scuttle about everywhere. Besides 

 these, a few old cock-pheasants, who have strayed 

 from the preserves, are sure to be found and shot. 

 You shortly hear a shot from the cover the rabbit 

 was found in, followed by " Who-whoop ! " showing 

 that the hunted one has been killed. 



The keeper then begins to draw afresh, and you 

 may notice that certain of the older sportsmen are 



