28 ON THE WING. 



the arm, putting on the caps, pressing them home by 

 the hammers ; then bringing the latter to half-cock, 

 and the gun will be properly loaded. Before re- 

 placing the ramrod, slip it into the other barrel with 

 two or three slight taps, which will drive the wad in 

 place if it be somewhat started by the discharge of the 

 other barrel. 



The Proper Charge. 



As a general rule in loading, I would recommend 

 bulk for bulk ; that is, the charger for the powder, if 

 correct, will be evenly filled with shot. If any dif- 

 ference be made, especially in the case of larger and 

 heavier guns, it is better to reduce the quantity of shot, 

 as there is far greater danger of having too much shot 

 than of having too much powder. The proportion of 

 powder to shot by weight should be as 14 to 100. 

 The proper average charge for the gun used in brush- 

 shooting is 2! drachms of powder to \\ ounces of 

 shot; using in summer Nos. 9 and 10 shot, in autumn 

 No. 8, and in late fall shooting for partridge, No. 7. 

 Do not use in such a gun over 3J drachms of powder. 

 Doubtless the gun will bear more ; but overloading 

 is as bad for a gun as over-eating is for the stomach. 

 It disarranges its action. The gun will not do its 

 work so well, to say nothing of the injury done to the 

 arm by the recoil. No. 4 shot is as large as can be 

 advantageously used in the brush-shooting gun for 

 birds ; for foxes, Nos. 2 and 3 will do ; and for rab- 

 bits, No. 4 or 5. Generally sportsmen use too large 

 shot. For it may be said that the smaller the shot 



