American Big-Game Hunting 



place that the degree of hardness or per cent, 

 of alloy has a great deal to do with the exe- 

 cution, as well as accuracy of flight, of the ex- 

 press-ball. When of pure lead they break up 

 too soon. Nor have I ever known a reason- 

 able degree of accuracy obtained with any 

 lead ball with a comparatively large charge, 

 beyond 50 or 75 yards. They are knocked 

 out of proper shape by the time they leave 

 the muzzle. This want of accuracy has been 

 observed with the best English express-rifles 

 with light leaden balls. I find in my ex- 

 perience with the balls of my preference (as 

 above) that from five per cent, for the heavier 

 ball, to eight per cent, for the lighter, is best. 



A 20-bore double-barreled shotgun, made 

 by Bland & Sons, of London (chambered for 

 the Kynoch brass shell), for ducks, the sev- 

 eral species of grouse, jack-rabbits, magpies, 

 skunks, etc., completes my battery. I value 

 the latter very highly for its " executive 

 ability," combined with a weight of only six 

 pounds. 



I have written much in detail, because I 

 think it is the details that make the account 

 of hunting trips interesting. I hope its pe- 

 238 



