DUCK-SHOOTING. 239 
“Heavy shot will make a gun recoil painfully ; 
but if the shot is light the charge of powder may 
be large without producing unpleasant effects; the 
shot will be driven quick and strong, and the bird 
deprived of life instantaneously. Perhaps the pellets 
are not driven through the body, but the blow is 
severer and the shock is more stunning. I use one 
ounce of shot and three drachms of powder, and 
would prefer to increase ratber than diminish the 
powder. It is a mistake to suppose powder does 
not burn because black particles fall to the ground 
if it is fired over snow or white paper; these, I take 
it, are flakes of charcoal and not powder, and some 
will fall, no matter how light may be the load.” 
‘“‘For my part,” persisted the unlucky man, “I 
think the crippling of birds arises from our inability 
to judge distances, and from our firing at birds out 
of reasonable range. The patent breech was meant 
to remedy the necessity for such heavy charges of 
powder as are used in the old-fashioned flint-locks. 
Johnston, the author of an admirable treatise on 
shooting, which is now out of print, is my authority, 
and he says that an over-charge of powder makes a 
gun scatter prodigiously without adding proportion- 
ately to the force.” 
‘That depends upon the character of the bore,” 
answered the Secretary; “if it is relieved at the 
breech, and after narrowing above, made a perfect 
cylinder towards the muzzle, the more the powder 
the better it will shoot.” 
Seeing that an interminable discussion was about 
