WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 215 



the earth, being unable to follow their coui-se, and 

 do not perceive the sportsman so readily. But as a 

 natural consequence, the sportsman's ammunition 

 becomes damp and his clothes wet, while the old- 

 fogy owner of the muzzle-loader will unjustly anathe- 

 matize Eley's water-proof caps when his gun misses 

 fire, instead of blaming his own stupidity. The in- 

 sides of barrels will foul and the outsides rust ; the 

 loading-stick will become dirty and the sportsman's 

 hands and face grimy ; and then the happy possessor 

 of the breech-loader, when he handles his clean car- 

 tridges, although one occasionally may stick, will 

 thank his good fortune and bless Lefaucheaux. 



A strong wind forces the birds out of their safe 

 course, up and down the open "leads," upon the 

 various points where the fowler, selecting the most 

 favora]^le by watching the flight, takes his stand; 

 and, when they are heading against it, reduces their 

 speed from the lightning rate of ninety miles an 

 hour to reasonable deliberation ; but when they are 

 travelling with it, renders the art of killing them 

 one of no easy acquisition. 



In shooting wild-fowl, or in fact any rapid flying 

 birds, it is necessary to aim ahead of them — not 

 that the gun is actually fired ahead of them, but to 

 allow for the time, hardly perceptible to man, but 

 noticeable in the changed position of the birds, ne- 

 cessary to discharge th'e piece; and the distance 

 allowed must depend not only on the rapidity of 

 their flight, but on the customary quickness of the 

 marksman. The great fault of sportsmen is, that 



