70 ON THE WING. 



ing muzzle-loaders under excitement and in great 

 haste. A gun, therefore, that can be charged without 

 any risk of danger of this sort has quite an important 

 point in its favor. 



2d. Rapidity and Convenience of Loading. — In shoot- 

 ing on the wing, or in shooting of any kind, the 

 weapon that will give the sportsman the greatest 

 number of shots at the game, provided the shots be 

 desirable ones, is entitled to be considered the more 

 serviceable weapon. And the principle of loading at 

 the breech would seem to give in this respect a de- 

 cided advantage over loading at the muzzle, for it 

 places the receiving place of the charge open, and 

 immediately to the hand. Beside, loading at the 

 breech requires that the charge for the gun be fixed ; 

 that is, prepared beforehand in the shape of cartridges. 

 Ammunition fixed in this way, all in one compact 

 piece, becomes much more convenient for handling 

 than when carried separately, as powder, shot, caps, 

 wads, &c. Indeed, all must admit that for rapidity 

 and convenience of loading the breech-loaders have 

 a decided advantage over the muzzle-loaders. 



Without attempting further to specify other points 

 of comparison favorable to the breech-loaders, I think 

 that in the important points just named, — safety, ra- 

 pidity, and convenience of loading, — all must admit 

 that the principle of breech-loading guns presents cer- 

 tain advantages over the muzzle-loaders ; and if we 

 can secure these points, together with simplicity of 

 mechanism, reliability and portability of ammunition, 

 equal execution with the shot, and absolute safety in 



