FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [54] 



Pierce's darting-gun (old) — Continued. 



the cheeks of the forward end of the shank. Shank composed 

 of two pieces of conjoined iron : First half, wrought iron, 

 slotted near its rear end for the iron arm with rigid eye to 

 which the iron-strap should be made fast, and provided with a 

 female screw in a recess in the rear end. Eear part of shank 

 cast, and screwed to the forward half of the shank. Length 

 of gun, 17^ inches 5 length of trigger, 21^ inches ; length of 

 gun-harpoon, 23J inches. Provincetown, Massachusetts, 1882. 

 Gun, 56331 ; harpoon, 5G441. Presented by Mr. Seth Smith. 

 The gun having been charged with ordinary powder and the 

 iron inserted, it is darted and automatically discharged by the 

 long wire trigger coming in contact with the whale. An im- 

 perfect model of the first darting-gun with gun-harpoon, in- 

 vented by Capt. Eben Pierce, August 22, 1865. Not used at 

 present. 



Pierce's muzzle-loading darting-gun. 



Old style, with pole, harpoon, and darting-bomb; muzzle-loading. 

 Gun: barrel, lock-case, socket for pole, socket pieces or lugs 

 for harpoon, and one forward guide for trigger, gun-metal; two 

 after- guides for trigger, brass;, bottom of lock-case, brass, sol- 

 dered; firing-pin and trunnion, brass; lock-case (cover for 

 excluding moisture), leather with brass catch. Hammer, con- 

 cealed in lock-case, gun-metal. Trigger, projecting beyond 

 muzzle, steel rod. Harpoon, common toggle-iron; rear end 

 made to fit socket-pieces on the muzzle of the gun, and pro- 

 vided with a projecting eye, in which the iron-strap is made 

 fast. Toggle branded "Macy" (Manufacturer). Length of 

 gun, 19f inches; length of pole, 56^ inches; length of trigger, 

 34 inches; length of harpoon, 30 inches; length of darting- 

 bomb, 15^ inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1876. 25252. 

 U. S. Fish Commission. Patented and manufactured by Capt. 

 Eben Pierce, New Bedford, Massachusetts. Stock number 

 476. 



Cunningham's darting-gun. 



Breech-loading hinge gun, with harpoon, strap, and bomb-lance. 

 Gun: barrel, socket, breech-snap, binge, and lugs, gun-metal; 

 trigger, steel rod, projecting beyond the muzzle. Lance and 

 cartridge combined. Harpoon, common toggle-iron ; two barbs 

 on the toggle; mortised head; rear end of shank made to fit 

 the lugs of the gun. Eye for rope-strap. Toggle branded "J. 

 A. S." (John A. Sawyer, manufacturer). Iron-strap, whale- 

 line; one end of strap bent into the eye of harpoon and the 

 other provided with an eye-splice into which one end of the 

 whale- line is intended to be fastened. Length of gun, 15^ 



