MY SOMALI BOOK 283 



reduction in size of bore, it fails to compensate for the loss 

 in shock-effect, amount of injury done, and general 

 reliability. Whether that loss can he afforded must he 

 a matter for our judgment to decide in the individual 

 case. 



It follows that the best bullet from the pomt of 

 view of its effect upon an animal may be one of two 

 types, either (1) a large-bore bullet deriving its effective- 

 ness from its large strikmg surface, with sufficient 

 velocity to penetrate bone and muscle to the far side 

 of the animal ; or (2) one of smaller bore, whose value 

 lies m the smashing-power and expansion given by 

 high velocity, but of sufficiently large diameter and 

 weight to ensure extensive shock-effect ; at the same 

 time of sufficient stability not to be liable to break 

 up on a big bone, while not likely to waste energy 

 by reason of excessive penetration, or to be readily 

 deflected from its course. 



It must be clearly understood that all that I have 

 written above has reference to the action of a bullet 

 on a particular type of animal such as a lion. Even 

 so, conditions of resistance, etc., must vary, and the 

 best bullet would be the one most adaptable to varying 

 conditions. 



We mav now turn to our fk'st classification of 

 weapons and examine the capabilities of the various 

 bores and powers of sporting rifles of the present day ; 

 both m the light of experience, and bearing in mind 

 the conditions at which we have already arrived. 

 For this purpose I subjoin a table of tj^pical rifles of 

 the different classes, with details of certain factors we 

 have found to be of importance, e.g. velocit}^, bullet- 



