132 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



It is very seldom, however, that tlie powder wadding* has to be 

 drawn from the punt-gun ; the most that is required is the shot wad- 

 ding-, which it often becomes necessary to draw for the purpose of 

 chang-ing; the shot for larger or smaller, according to the size of the 

 birds the punter may happen to meet with. But the young sportsman 

 is recommended to avoid drawing a charge of powder from the barrel 

 — it being always more practicable to fire it oif. 



The attitude in which the punter places himself for the purpose of 

 loading the punt-gun when afloat, must depend on the stability of the 

 punt and the weight of the gun ; generally speaking, punts are 

 so cranky that the greatest possible caution is necessary in shifting a 

 heavy gun backwards and forwards in the punt, or the unintentional 

 swerve of man or gun to either side may throw both overboard. It 

 is therefore safest for the punter to keep upon his knees ; as he may 

 load his gun and perform every necessary movement in that 

 attitude. But if the punt be of sufficient stability to allow of his 

 standing upright, in safety, he may load quicker, and with more 

 comfort to himself probably, by getting upon his feet. It is usual to 

 pull ashore or to a mud bank when near-by, for the purpose of loading- 

 large guns with greater facility and safety. 



The sportsman must pay due regard to the size of his shot ; for if 

 too snjall it only wounds, and kills nothing dead ; but if too large, 

 the pellets fly at random, and not sufficiently compact in form. The 

 size of shot must therefore be regulated in accordance with the 

 magnitude of the gun and size of the birds fired at. 



After all my experience, I found the best-sized shot for the general 

 purposes of punting were BB. and AA, But when expressly in pursuit 

 of wild-geese, with the stanchion gun, I used S.S.G. (15 to the oz.) or 

 S.S.S.G. (17 to oz.), and for swans L.G. : (of these there are only 

 5J pellets to the oz.). S.G. there are eleven. For the punt-gun, by 

 night, I used No. 1, or single B.'s. 



If the punt-gun be loaded with shot cartridges, an oakum wadding 

 should be put over the powder just the same ; though it need not be 

 quite so large as for loose shot. 



