MY SOMALI BOOK 261 



hi sh- velocity rifles with nickel-case bullets must have 

 the preference because of their great penetration. 

 Among them the larger the bore the better, provided 

 the sportsman can handle it. 



Those of my readers who care to know the reasons, 

 theoretical and practical, which have led me to the 

 above conclusions, and who may be mterested in 

 seeing these conclusions elaborated, I will ask to follow 

 me further. 



Dangerous big game may be divided into two 

 classes : — 



(1) Thin-skinned game, comprising the great cats 

 and some bears. 



(2) Thick-skinned game, among which for my 

 present purpose I include bison and buffalo with the 

 great pachyderms. 



The weapons for their destruction may likewise be 

 divided into classes as follows : — 



(i.) Black powder Express rifles, old type (-450 to 

 •577). 



(ii.) Small-bore high- velocity rifles (-256 to -375). 



(iii.) Medium-bore high- velocity rifles (-400 to -600). 



(iv.) Shot-and-baU guns (not less than 12 bore). 

 This classification does not include the large-bore 

 elephant rifles, whose day is over. 



Rifles must be further divided according to whether 

 they are of the single, double-barrelled, or magazine 

 type. Magazine rifles hitherto have been made with 

 success in the smaller bores only. 



Let us now examine the considerations involved in 

 the choice of a suitable weapon — apart from reliability 

 of construction and mechanism, which, in the production 



