THE SHOT-GUN AND SPORTING RIFLE. BOOK I. VARIETIES OF SHOOTING. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. GENERAL REMARKS-FIRST LESSONS IN SHOOTING-HEDGE POPPINGROOK SHOOTING WITH THE SHOT-GUN AND rifle. THE object of the following pages is to afford assistance to the young sportsman in the use of the shot-gun and rifle, and in the selection of the kinds of each best suited to the particular sport which may be chosen for his amusement. It must be obvious, that in the early stages of this inquiry something must be taken for granted, because, without a knowledge of the exact purposes for which a gun is wanted, it cannot be advantageously chosen; and, in the same way, those purposes cannot be fully entered into, unless the reader is acquainted with the accessories to his sport which may be essential to it. For the sake of convenience, the plan will be here adopted of giving a general description in Book I. of the various kinds of shooting; the more detailed particulars of the dogs, guns, rifles, &c., employed being added in the subsequent books. Whenever, therefore, the reader wants to know, for instance, how to load his gun or rifle, or the kind best suited to his purpose, he must search in Book IV. for what he wants; while the dogs, ponies, &c., used with the gun, will B be found described at length in Book II.; and the best modes of trapping vermin, and of rearing and preserving game in the FOURTH BOOK. It will thus be made clear, that in the present book I shall proceed to describe in general terms only the various sports known as grouse and partridge shooting, covert shooting, &c., giving such particular directions as will enable the tyro to master each, and beginning with those methods which are the most easily practised, and which are, at the same time, the most likely to make him ultimately expert in all branches of shooting. FIRST LESSONS IN SHOOTING. Before the intending shooter ventures to practise upon any living object, he should make himself completely master of the tool which he is to employ. It is not necessary, perhaps, in all cases, that he should understand the mechanism of its locks, or that he should know how it has been constructed; but he should, at all events, have learned how to load his gun or rifle in a safe and proper manner, and the best and safest mode of putting the various parts together, as he takes them out of his gun case. For the purpose of gaining this information he will do well to consult some experienced person, from whom he will readily learn by demonstration that which would possibly take him a long time to acquire from the pages in which it is described in its proper place in this manual. But in whichever mode the knowledge is to be obtained, it is absolutely essential to the safety of the shooter and his friends that it should not be neglected; and until he has learnt to put his gun together, to cock and uncock it, to load it and to discharge it properly, he must carefully avoid using it indoors or out. At the same time he should diligently study the following general rules for the prevention of accidents, which should never under any circumstances, or with any gun, be overlooked : 1. Never let the muzzle of the gun be pointed at any living object, excepting that which is intended to be hit. 2. In carrying the gun three positions only are allowable, excepting at the moment of firing. Firstly, with the trigger-guard on the forearm, and the muzzle pointing |