158 SHOOTING THE .PHEASANT 



case of a miss, secure him behind you, but this is 

 always a difficult shot to kill dead. 



Again, should you miss him at the proper angle u 

 (provided always he is passing directly over you), you 

 may, if you are active and not stiff in the back or 

 shoulders, kill him by a very rapid second barrel, 

 achieved by a more determined toss of the gun, still 

 farther back, say at d, and without changing position 

 or turning round. You will almost lose your balance, 

 as the bird will have passed beyond the vertical line 

 straight above you, but you are more likely to kill him 

 this way than by turning round. Some men, so long 

 as they retain their activity and suppleness of body, are 

 able to make this a very deadly shot. 



Everyone who has shot much has experience of 

 missing an easy chance with the first barrel, and 

 killing with great rapidity and certainty with the 

 second from irritation. Quick as the operation is, there 

 is time in the moment between the first and second 

 barrels for the temper to be roused by one's own 

 failure, and a consequent increase of resolution, 

 activity, and accuracy to be imparted to the second 

 shot. More bad shots are due to inertness, slackness, 

 carelessness — call it what you will — than to lack of 

 accurate eyesight or activity, and the result above 

 mentioned, with which we are all familiar, is only 



