DECOY-DUCKS. 79 



his second barrel. In duck-shooting, in all cases except 

 at flight, when I liked a loose charge best, I used the 

 candle cartridge, and I found them quite equal to Eley's, 

 except that they occasionally ball the shot. As every 

 one may not know how to make them, I will give my 

 receipt. Procure a tin cylinder that will exactly fit into 

 the muzzle of your gun, about three inches long, some- 

 thing like a candle-mould ; stick a cork in the bottom end 

 and set it on a table ; put the shot in it, melt some can- 

 dle-grease in a ladle, which pour on to the shot till they 

 are covered. Let it stand to cool ; take out the cork 

 when the tallow is hard, and shove out the cartridge ; 

 wrap a piece of thin paper round, and it is ready for use. 

 I once killed a pair of black duck stone-dead at eighty 

 yards with a candle cartridge : this was perhaps a chance 

 shot, but I could always reckon on my birds at fifty 

 yards; and I know this is about fifteen yards further than 

 I could do with a loose charge. I shot with a single pigeon- 

 gun, No. 6 gauge, 6 drams of powder, and a two-ounce 

 cartridge. One needs a strong gun for such a charge, 

 and I fancy cartridges shake a gun much. I am no 

 friend to an out-of-the-way-sized gun for shoulder-shoot- 

 ing. The one I used I found big enough for any purpose, 

 and quite heavy enough to carry about and bring up to 

 the shoulder quickly. Depend upon it, the man who sticks 

 to one gun for every kind of shooting, will bag more 

 game than he who is continually changing; and I believe 

 I should have done better if I had always used a strong 

 double. The best gun for this country is a strong dou- 



