RAIL-SHOOTING. 195 
the lucky chance of coming upon a goodly collection 
of birds, and make the most of the scanty time 
permitted to him. 
None of those vexatious mistakes that occasionally 
happen to the best sportsmen can befall him ; the shot 
cannot get into the wrong barrel, nor the cap be for- 
gotten; the powder is not exposed to ashes from a 
careless man’s cigar; and there being no hurry, there 
is more probability of steady nerves and a true 
aim. 
The charge should be light—three-quarters of an 
ounce of shot and two drachms of powder being abun- 
dant to kill the soft and gentle rail—and pellets at 
least as fine as No. 9 are preferable to coarser sizes. 
Old cartridges, that have been split and mended by 
gumming a piece of paper over the crack, may be 
used in the breech-loader, provided the sportsman 
desires to indulge in praiseworthy economy, or is 
deficient in a supply. 
The sport is extremely exciting: the boat is forced 
along with considerable rustling and breaking of 
stems and stalks; the bright sun streams down 
upon the yellow reeds and lights up the variegated 
foliage of the distant shore ; the waves of the bay or 
river, rising apparently to a level with the eye, 
sparkle in the gentle breeze that bends the sedge 
grass in successive waves; neighboring boats come 
and go, approach and recede ; the rapid reports are 
heard in all directions, like fireworks on the Fourth 
of July; the sportsman stands erect, and eager with 
delirious excitement, near the bow; the punter 
