SUGGESTIONS TO SPORTSMEN. 281 
he lost his balance, upset the canoe, and pitched for- 
ward head-foremost overboard ! 
Probably one half of the fair shots that are missed 
escape on account of this unfortunate nervousness 5 
and it®is a habit that can only be cured by inces- 
sant care and unrelaxed watchfulness. Anything 
that affects the nerves, as smoking or drinking, in- 
creases the difficulty, and the sudden flushing of a 
bird will cause it. Unhappily it is apt to be most 
prevalent when the shooting is good and the sports- 
man excited, thus ruining many of his best days. 
With heavy loads, or what is known as a kicking 
gun, the error will be aggravated; and most per- 
sons have no idea of the proper proportions of 
powder and shot, putting in immense quantities of 
the latter and sparing the former. 
The true load for a gun not exceeding eight 
pounds in weight, regardless of its size or bore, is 
one ounce and a quarter of shot and three drachms 
of the strongest powder, or three and a half drachms 
of common powder. The same proportion should 
be retained if the gun is heavier or the charge in- 
creased. Where more shot is used power is lost 
and recoil aggravated; and if the powder is not 
augmented one ounce of shot will do better execution 
than two. 
Many persons who have ascertained this fact and 
practise upon it, will inform you that they drive 
their shot through the birds, and consequently kill 
them instantly. This is a mistake ; small shot are 
rarely, if ever, driven through a bird; but where 
