One of my friends, inexperienced as he was, begged me one day to lend him a dog. Now you should lend neither your wife, your horse, nor your dog; but I, who am blessed with a greatness of soul quite uncommon, exhibited my magnanimity to the extent of entrusting Medora to his care; the illustrious Medora, the best of dogs,

"Quo non præstantior alter,"

to range, point, and bring fur or feather. My friend started; an hour elapsed, when Medora returned alone to his kennel. Soon afterwards my sportsman arrived. "Your dog left me." "I am aware of it; he told me you missed five or six shots running." "It is true." "By heaven, I was certain of it. A dog hunts for his pleasure far more so than for yours. Amuse him, then, if you desire he should return the compliment."

I have not forgotten that as yet you have never shot either hares or partridges wait till your dog stands, it will not be long first. Let him alone, do not talk to him; follow

in silence, he knows more than you do. He is here-there-sinks-then raises his nose to seize the scent which the wind conveys he stops, his position becomes serious your game is not far off. The dog reflects, calculates, advances with precaution; he chooses the spot, so as to place his feet without noise, extends himself, and points.

you

When you have had some experience, will ascertain from the position of your dog the species of game to which he stands. For a hare, the tail of the dog is generally very stiff, and slightly curved towards the end; inclined and straight for a rabbit; a slight degree elevated and straight for a quail; and, lastly, when very stiff, very straight, and parallel with the horizon, it is a partridge. For birds found in the marshes, such as snipes and rails, the tail of the dog makes slight movements from right to left, which may be said to infer uncertainty.

As yet, however, we have not arrived at this crisis. Your heart beats with vio

lence, your breast heaves, you breathe with pain: do not choke, be calm the weather is hot-the game will hold to the pointyou have plenty of time. Assure yourself in this manner : 66 The game is very near me: in order that my shot may be effectual, I should fire at thirty paces; I have then time to prepare and to take good aim." Recollect, if you fire at fifteen paces, you have less chance than at twenty-five or thirty, as it is only at such a distance your shot can have good effect; nearer it will be too much balled. If you kill, you destroy your bird, and moreover you must take much better aim to touch it; whereas at thirty paces, should you fire below, or even on the side, the bird will probably fall.

All this thought over, reasoned on, and calculated on, place yourself in such a position as to prevent the sun shining in your eyes; when this precaution is not taken, two disagreeable results are sure to follow the one, you invariably miss, or you hit by chance; added to which your

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eyes become so dazzled it requires some time to recover yourself. All appears red or blue, and the trees seem to dance before you. A partridge takes the colours of a parrot, and, without doubting your aim, you fire three paces from it.

Good! now you have turned your back on the sun, advanced a foot, then two, the game rises. Be prepared, place your gun firm to the shoulder, take a steady aim, and touch not your trigger till the bird is in a straight line with your eye and the sight. But, above all, do not be in a hurry; you have far more time than is required rather let it fly ten paces further than fire by chance: you have missed your first shot, increase your hope of the second by a better aim.

Nothing falls: the game is off, unharmed save by fear; your dog looks at you and recommences his work. You missed both shots because you were in too great a hurry: your gun was not sufficiently firm to the shoulder, which causes two serious inconveniences; it vibrates, and causes an

uncertain shot, sent by chance through the air, added to which the recoil gives you an unpleasant blow. I perceive, also, that your right cheek is a little red, which is disagreeable, but it does not dishonour you.

Recollect, in order to be well prepared, you should elevate your right arm as much as possible without inconvenience, the elbow being more elevated than the shoulder; the result is that the hollow or the but of the gun rests there, finding a better support than were the elbow lower. For one shot which you miss from having fired too late, there are twenty so missed from firing too soon. Shots are also often missed from a desire to see too much of your game; that is to say, you obtain too good a sight, and fire above it. You should aim at the centre of your bird, and never see more than half of it when you pull the trigger.

Walk on: commence again, - recollect your lesson, and if you follow it only once a fine partridge will repay you.

I did not deceive myself: down goes one; you are all alive-your dog runs for it.