THE FIELD.—SNIPE-SHOOTING. 263 
These absolute rules are not, as it would at first seem, 
mere maxims of courtesy and good-breeding. They are 
necessary to prevent confusion; to prevent, what will other- 
wise constantly occur, both men from firing both barrels 
at the same birds, and consequently getting but two birds, 
however well they may be shooting, instead of four, for 
four shots. I have seen this very thing happen fifty times 
with two jealous men blazing away, all eagerness to outdo 
each other, at the first birds that take wing; and also have 
seen half a dozen more birds spring one by one, and go 
away unharmed, with all the barrels unloaded, after one of 
these ineffectual feua de joie ; and I believe that the odds 
are as five to one in favor of a couple of shooters’ making 
a bag, who adhere strictly to the rules, against a couple 
who shoot hap-hazard, without regard to any decencies of 
deportment, at every thing which rises. 
If each man shoot over his own dog, as is for the most 
part the case in America, and one have all the luck of the 
day, for luck will at times run in favor of one gun and 
his dog get all the points, it is but courteous to call up 
the other and offer him the shot. 
In covert shooting, especially when birds are scarce, it 
is always proper to signify to the second party that there 
is a point, by calling him up in a low tone, exclaiming 
also “ Toho!” which answers the double purpose of cau- 
tioning the dog to be steady, and of warning the other 
gun. 
When a bird rises, always, before firing, ery, “ Mark, 
right!” or “ Mark, left!” as it may be. By observing 
the two latter points, many birds will be brought to bag 
