304 MY SOMALI BOOK 



an Indian forest panther weighing 120 to 150 lbs. or 

 more, as not a few have found to their cost. An 

 average leopard can no doubt do with less weight of 

 lead and penetration ; but at times he seems to possess 

 greater tenacity of life than Hon or tiger, and he is 

 more cunning, more active, often more aggressive than 

 either ; for him there is nothing like the Paradox, 

 with perhaps one barrel loaded with S.S.S.G. shot for 

 extra close quarters. 



Bears are in comparison harmless, but if it does 

 come to close grips, as it may, whether he be sloth bear 

 or grizzly, you want to be able to knock him down. 

 What's good enough for a tiger will not be too good 

 for Bruin. 



As for our second class — dangerous thick-skinned 

 game. I have shot at a wild elephant with nothing 

 more deadly than a Kodak ; advocates of the small- 

 bore for the brain shot are not lacking either in number 

 or authority ; yet out of the valour of my inexperience 

 I venture to urge that the essential principles are 

 unchanged. Stopping power is still for the average 

 shot the great desideratum. True, this is no longer 

 to be obtained by expanding bullets, penetrative power 

 having become a prime necessity ; but without 

 adequate striking surface and weight of lead the high 

 velocity of a small bore bullet cannot produce the 

 necessary shock-effect where the wound is not im- 

 mediately fatal. 



It is admittedly by no means easy to make sure of 

 the brain shot at an elephant, especially in a big bull ; 

 and in the case of a shot in the skull that fails to find 

 the brain there can be no question but that the blow 



