CHAPTER V 
Twenty exceptionally high pheasants, and how they were killed — Deductions 
therefrom — On the shock given to a bird when struck by the charge of shot. 
I WILL now give details of the effects and position of the 
shot-pellets that caused the death of some exceptionally high 
pheasants. Though I have accurate records of over fifty col- 
lected during several years past, if I describe a score of them 
it will, I think, be sufficient for my purpose, which is to show 
that the killing of a very high bird depends greatly upon 
chance, accurate though the aim of the shooter may be. The 
birds were unusually tall ones ; and the few of them I shot 
myself I can answer for as being, to all appearance, quite 
out of the common run of even very high ones. These I 
killed in places where pheasants are often allowed to pass 
over without being fired at, as beyond the reach of a gun. 
The pheasants sent to me I received from friends, experienced 
shooting-men, who well know the difference between an ex- 
ceptionally high bird and a high one. Many of their letters 
commenced in much the same way : such as, ' I am sending 
you the highest bird I ever shot in my life,' or, * A bird leaves 
for you to-night that I really think is the highest I ever saw 
shot here,' or, ' I saw kill a pheasant to-day that I did 
43 
