THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 433 



over the edge of a flint-stone. The flint-lock of the present day- 

 was the next step in order ; and the percussion-lock, in its approved 

 form, was the last and best of all. 



THE GUN AND ITS VARIOUS PARTS. 



The gun being the principal instrument by means of which the 

 sportsman destroys his game, it seems proper that it should now 

 claim our particular attention, as the proper knowledge of its parts 

 and uses, as well as its perfections and imperfections, should be 

 thoroughly understood by the tyro before entering upon the sports 

 of the field. Without imparting this information, we cannot expect 

 our sporting friends to be competent to provide themselves with 

 such fowling-pieces as will come up to our ideal of beauty or 

 answer the good purposes that we design to exhibit in a superior 

 gun. Many of our readers will smile in anticipation of a long and 

 tedious dissertation upon a subject in which they can take but 

 little interest beyond the mere outward examination of an instru- 

 ment the skilful making and putting together of which has occu- 

 pied the minds of many of the most intelligent and ingenious spirits 

 of the Old World as well as the New. Many of our sportsmen are 

 content to go to the field with a second-rate or third-rate gun, feeling 



well satisfied with its goodness provided it kills occasionally at long 



28 



