JJTOfV TO KILL THEM 173 



boughs stop the charge sufficiently to prevent your kill- 

 ing your bird stone dead. On the other hand, if he have 

 licence to move a little back or forward, an old hand 

 will vastly improve his position by shifting so as not 

 to stand where a heavy tree top is exactly at the spot 

 which he sees will prove the killing angle. 



Lastly, there is but a word or two to be said about 

 killing pheasants rising before you. This you may 

 be called upon to do when after cocks only, in which 

 case every possible chance should be taken, too 

 many being generally left on the ground, only to 

 fight and stray, and thus reduce the producing power 

 of your wild stock. Or you may be out for what I 

 may call the old-fashioned October day, on an out- 

 lying beat, where it is desirable to secure as many 

 as possible of the roving wild-bred birds, or on the 

 fringe of the moor in Scotland, where a pheasant is a 

 prize, and a welcome variety to the larder. 



Pheasants, from the great strength of their legs, 

 in dry weather at least, get very quickly on to the 

 wing, and. as we know, fly very fast, especially the 

 cocks. Do not therefore give them too much time 

 when flushed before you, or you will fail to bring 

 them down dead ; and you may never see a winged 

 cock again, if he falls in thick covert where there is 

 no one ahead to stop him, unless you have a very 



