14 FIELD SHOOTING. 



else. The art of shooting swift-flying birds on the 

 wing is of comparatively recent origin in this 

 country. Years ago but few people followed it, 

 and they had mostly acquired their skill in Europe 

 before they came here. The quickness and art 

 necessary for even moderate success were almost 

 comparatively unknown in the regions where such 

 game most abounded, and they were in a great 

 measure deemed worthless, of no more practical 

 use than the curious tricks of a juggler. This was 

 not unnatural. The backwoodsmen, and those set- 

 tlers who had made lodgments in the immense 

 prairies of the Western States, could kill a buck 

 with the rifle, or knock over a fat turkey with the 

 same arm ; and those who had old-fashioned smooth- 

 bores seldom shot with anything less than buck- 

 shot, or the largest sizes of other shot. Hence 

 they looked with a sort of lazy curiosity akin to 

 contempt upon the doings of the men who, with 

 good guns and small shot, killed " little birds," as 

 quail, plover, woodcock, snipe, etc., were denomi- 

 nated. The use of the setter and pointer Wi"i 

 practically unknown. The game was considered 

 to be a trifling matter, not worth the powder and 

 shot expended upon it. The latter were somewhat 

 dear, and money was very r.carce. The hunters 



