SHOOTING. 41 



A B C of the art. It is an acknowledged fact, how- 

 ever, that some of our most successful field-shots 

 frequently make rather poor work of shooting 

 wild fowl. Their usual fault is in hurrying too 

 much, not taking time to make the necessary 

 allowance for the rapidity of flight. Straight- 

 away shots they usually kill better than any 

 others, because little or no calculation is required; 

 but in cross and over-head shooting,- where most 

 judgment is called for, their shot too frequently 

 passes behind the bird. A few brief instructions 

 upon the subject, therefore, may not prove in- 

 appropriate. 



Never bring up the gun in a direction opposite 

 to the bird's flight, nor put it up in any way 

 in front of the birds, waiting for them to come 

 to it; but wait until they get nearly to you, 

 and then, bringing the gun up directly behind 

 them, carry it forward quickly in the exact line 

 of their flight, and pull the trigger without 

 stopping the motion of the gun. The precise 

 time of pulling, and the amount of space which 

 must be allowed in front of them and behind 

 the line of aim, will, of course, vary greatly in 

 accordance with the direction and apparent velocity 

 of their flight and the probable distance they 



