566 MODERN FARRIEll. 



wrought materials, with a well tempered hammer, 

 have such length in the respective springs that they 

 may v*'ork smoothly and equal the one with the other, 

 will, with good powder promote such instantaneous 

 ignition, that on firing the noise of the lock will be 

 entirely lost in the subsequent explosion. On this 

 subject a popular writer expresses himself in the fol- 

 lowing manner : 



It may be looked on as presumption to say that 

 our gun-makers would surpass all the inventions of 

 the present day, great as are the emoluments, ac- 

 cording to some of them, through the medium of a 

 patent, could they hit on a plan by which the fowling- 

 piece could be made to raise more speedily, and me- 

 chanically as it were, to the shoulder, the muzzle and 

 breech being on its arrival equal to the eye, which, 

 however appropriate in their latter respect, it may 

 seem, in our cooler moments, is very rarely so, when 

 snatched up (as is sometimes necessary in cover- 

 shooting) in an instant of time. The more experi- 

 enced are aware, that, with the proviso above men- 

 tioned, the least farther motion, the smallest jog only, 

 if I may so say, transversely or perpendicularly nearer 

 the object, as circumstances may require, is necessary 

 to almost infallibly killing on the wing. Moreover, 

 with the said proviso, there will be no need of shutting 

 an eye, confusion, nor discomposure of the person, as 

 any stander-by may see, that the best shots, who are 

 generally very particular as to how the gun meets 

 the eye, are the least flurried, and take apparently 

 the least pains. Nor is an aim directly at the centre 

 of the object, if, as said before, the muzzle and breech 

 be equal, indispensible. Three or four inches above 

 or belovv^ it will commonly bring the bird to the 

 ground, and a much less accurate one will often pre- 

 vent its escaping. 



For gun-stocks we select chiefly the heart of the 

 walnut-tree, sound no doubt, and capable from its 

 solidity and veins of a fine variegated polish. A part 



