248 ON THE WING. 



shot, applicable to both muzzle and breech loaders. 

 I have already alluded to this subject in the chapter 

 "About Shot" ; and I hope that an improvement in 

 this respect, so needful to increase the power and 

 closeness of shooting, will be brought about, in a way 

 that shall not only bring honor to the inventor, but 

 compensate him with a remunerative patent. 



Finally, I would urge upon my brother Nimrods the 

 prime importance of keeping their guns clean and free 

 from rust. The more I think of this subject, the more 

 firmly I am convinced that, generally speaking, guns 

 do not wear out, but rust out. 



It is not necessary to weary the reader with a dis- 

 sertation upon the importance of keeping the gun 

 clean. Certainly, if a gun is worth having, it is worth 

 keeping in good order. We want no further evidence 

 that a person is a poor hunter, than the knowledge that 

 he lets rust run riot in the fowling-piece, which he 

 should carefully guard against all foulness. If it is a 

 choice and expensive gun, so much the greater is the 

 offence. A good gun has cost too much labor and too 

 much money to be destroyed with rust. Even when 

 using breech-loaders, much care is required to keep 

 them clean, although cleansing may be done far more 

 easily than in the muzzle-gun, because there is an 

 opportunity of examining the entire length of the 

 barrel inside, and of detecting the first symptoms of 

 foulness or rust. 



In conclusion, let the name of the American sports- 

 man become honorably known throughout the world ; 

 and let us develop a taste for the various kinds of 



