214 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
instantly. The spark is of little use if it is after the type of 
spark seen on ordinary sparking plugs for gas motors. It must 
be such that it fuses off the ends of a bunch of three wires, 
lying and insulated to the centre of the powder charge in the 
ignition tube. These wires, seeing they are to be used, at 
most, only a few times, may be made of copper or brass. 
There is no need to go to the expense of platinum. The ends 
of the sparking wires must be cased with thin paper, so that 
a gap occurs to start the spark. The arc then takes place 
between the wire ends and the wall of the tube, which is earth- 
connected. If the powder lies close up to the sparking end of 
the wire, it will then conduct the current without a spark, and, 
instead of being an insulator, as we have said, the powder 
becomes a conductor, though it may be a bad one. 
By arrangements as above, and by having the high-tension 
circuit to the gun well insulated, good results can be obtained, 
provided the coil is equal to its work, and the E.M.F. working 
it is up to its voltage. We can, however, assure our readers 
that an ordinary lock and striker mechanism in the breech of 
a modern punt-gun is as handy as need be. But we suppose 
we must be always trying something new. Unless a high- 
tension switch is used in the electrical method of ignition, here 
partly explained, the firing of the charge in the gun is slow, 
appearing fully detectable in every case, just like a ‘‘ hang fire.” 
Such a switch should be well designed to work with a spring 
and placed near the breech of the gun, and, of course, perfectly 
insulated. Undoubtedly the hang of the charge when the 
induced current (through no switch) reaches the priming charge 
direct from the coil, is due to the momentary resistance of the 
powder as a medium through which the spark occurs. By this 
it may be readily seen that the coil should be one capable of 
sufficient power to overcome the resistance readily. 
Wadding for punt-guns cannot yet be beaten if it is of 
oakum. In M.L. guns cut or punched card wads, if sent 
