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 
