2 FIELD OEXITHOLOGY. 



Style of finish is obviously of little consequence, except as an index of other qualities; for 

 inferior guns rarely, if ever, display the exquisite appointments that mark a first-rate arm. 

 There is reaUy so httle choice among good guns that nothing need be said on this score ; you 

 cannot miss it if you pay enough to any reputable maker or reliable dealer. But collecting 

 is a specialty, and some guns are better adapted than others to your particular purpose, which 

 is the destruction, as a rule, of small birds, at moderate range, with the least possible injury 

 to their plumage. Probably three-fourths or more of the birds of a miscellaneous collection 

 average under the size of a pigeon, and were shot within thirty yards. A heavi/ gun is there- 

 fore unnecessary, in fact ineligible, the extra weight being useless. You will find a gun of 

 7i to 8 pounds weight most suitable. For similar reasons the bore should be small ; I prefer 

 14 gauge, and should not think of going over 12. To judge from the best sporting authorhies, 

 length of barrel is of less consequence than many suppose; for myself, I incline to a rather 

 long barrel, — one nearer 33 than 28 inches, — believing that such a barrel 7nay throw shot 

 better ; but I am not sure that this is even the rule, while it is well known that several 

 circumstances of loading, besides some almost inappreciable difi'ereuces in the way barrels are 

 bored, wiU cause guns apparently exactly alike to throw shot differently. Length and crook 

 of stock should of course be adapted to your figure, — a gun may be made to fit you, as well 

 as a coat. For wild-fowl shooting, and on some other special occasions, a heavier and 

 altogether more powerful gun wiU be preferable. 



Breech-Loader vs. Muzzle-Loader, a case long argued, may be considered settled in 

 favor of the former. Provided the mechanism and workmanship of the breech be what they 

 should, there are no valid objections to offset obvious advantages, some of which are these : 

 ease and rapidity of loading, and consequently delivery of shots in quick succession ; facility of 

 cleaning; compactness and portability of ammunition ; readiness with which different-sized shot 

 may be used. This last is highly important to the collector, who never knows the moment 

 he may wish to fire at a very different bird from such as he has already loaded for. The 

 muzzle-loader must always contain the fine shot with which nine-tenths of your specimens 

 wUl be secured ; if in both barrels, you cannot deal with a hawk or other large bird with 

 reasonable prospects of success ; if in only one barrel, the other being more heavily charged, 

 you are crippled to the extent of exactly one-half of your resources for ordinary shooting. 

 Whereas, with the breech-loader you will habitually use mustard-seed in both barrels, and yet 

 can slip in a different shell in time to seize most opportunities requiring large shot. This con- 

 sideration alone should d(>cide the case. But, moreover, the time spent in the field in loading 

 an ordinary gun is no small item ; while cartridges may be charged in your leisure at home. 

 This should become the natural occupation of your spare moments. No time is really gained; 

 you simply change to advantage the time consumed. Metal shells, charged with loose ammu- 

 nition, and susceptible of being reloaded many times, may be used instead of any special fixed 

 ammunition which, once exhausted in a distant place (and circumstances may upset the best 

 calculations on that score), leaves the gun useless. On charging the shells mark the number 

 of the shot used on the outside wad ; or better, use colored wads, say plain white for dust shot, 

 and red, blue, and green for certain other sizes. If going far away, take as many shells as you 

 think can possibly be wanted — and a few more. 



Experience, however, will soon teach you to prefer paper cartridges fir breech-loaders. 

 They may of course be loaded according to circumstances, with the same facility as metal 

 shells, and even reloaded if desired. It is a good deal of trouble to take care of metal shells, 

 to prevent loss, keep them clean, and avoid bending or indenting ; while there is often a prac- 

 tical difficulty in recapping — at least with the common styles that take a special primer. 

 Those fitted with a screw top holding a nipple for ordinary caps are expensive. Paper cart- 



