IN THEORY AND PRACTICE 
49 
whether they caused its death or not. It was much 
smashed internally through violent contact with the ground. 
20. Hen bird, struck by three pellets ; one pellet passed for 
I in. in length and at a depth of ^ in. through the left side of 
the breast ; one pellet lodged in the flesh of the right thigh. 
The other pellet bruised the head near the right eye, but did 
not fracture the skull or remain in the skin. It, however, 
stunned the bird, which was killed by its violent contact with 
the ground, or, perhaps, the branch of a tree or a stone, as it 
was internally much lacerated. 
Deductions from Series V. 
1. It should be borne in mind that broken-winged birds, 
which might have fluttered down from a great height with no 
other damage, were not included in those I sent for examina- 
tion. The pheasants reported on were, what is termed, shot 
dead in the air to all appearance, though several of them, 
without the shooter being aware of it, were merely stunned by 
pellets that did not penetrate vital parts, and were really 
killed by the force with which they struck the ground. 
2. That though four or five pellets may strike a very high 
pheasant, it is a mere chance if one of them enters a vital part 
with sufficient force to kill. 
3. That to have a good chance of killing a very high 
pheasant at least seven or eight pellets should strike it, since, 
on an average, not more than two of this number are likely 
to hit in vital places. ^ 
^ If we wish to kill our game, we have to kill it in the best way we can, and small 
shot, such as No. 7 (as I have explained), gives us the greatest chance of doing so, 
as it is more likely to hit in vital places than a larger size. No. 3 or No. 4 is far too 
uncertain to use as a means of killing a high pheasant — a really high one, that is to 
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