pattern is absolutely necessary for regular success. If you 

 compare the pattern of No. 7 from a cylmder gun to that 

 of Nos. 5 or 4, it will be readily seen what a much better 

 chance there is of hitting the head and neck with the 

 smaller sized shot. 



With regard to this que^ion of pattern, there is a very 

 important pomt which the writer believes has never been 

 properly thrashed out, i.e., how many of the shot that go to 

 make the beautiful patterns we see on the plate are killers ? 



We know that the shot cirrive one after the other. 

 Those that arrive fir^ have considerably greater velocity 

 and therefore "killing" power than the later arrivals. 



Will some public spirited experimenter fit up a revolving 

 target with Pettitt pads at different points, to ascertain 

 the actual penetration of the first and last arrivals ? 



In "Shooting Guns and Gunpowder," published by 

 Horace Cox, page 56, the length of the column of shot 

 fired from a cylinder loaded with 42 grains Schultze and 

 (^ oz. of No. 6 shot IS given as 7', feet long at 30 yards, 

 1 2 feet at 40 yards, and about 25 feet at 30 yards. Now, 

 if all these shots were killers is would be almost impossible 

 to shoot too far ahead of a bird. But the question is, are 

 they ? Of course, the majority of misses are caused by 

 shooting behind and below. 



We will now consider the remarks on this subjed 

 which have been contributed by several first-class and 

 experienced shots, who shall be designated by the letters 

 A, B, C, D, whilil that signed G.H. is the contribution 

 from the more scientific side of the question. It may be 

 mentioned that the above correspondents occupied very 

 high places in "Bailey's list of the twelve best shots." 



6i 



