Popular Science Monthly 



439 



loop to the handle of the trap, by which 

 it may be hung across the shoulders. 

 Then he holds gun in left hand, swings 

 mightily with the right, holding the trap, 

 drops the trap at the end of the swing, 

 grasps the fowling piece and " has at " 

 the flying bird he has just thrown. As the 

 bird leaves any of these traps with the 

 speed of about 150 feet a second, even 

 though it falls off 

 rapidly, the shooter 

 has to hustle to 

 get into action be- 

 fore it is out of 

 range. 



Two other traps 

 are in use for throw- 

 ing the birds by 

 "hand." One of 

 them, the Ping 

 Pong, is similar 

 to the Darton, save 

 that the bird is held 

 in the regular steel, 

 rubber-tipped fin- 

 gers of the larger 

 variety, bolted to a 

 wooden handle. 

 This takes more 

 power than anyone 

 but a full-grown 

 man can develop. 

 The other is oper- 

 ated by a powerful 

 spiral spring which 

 swings the throwing 

 arm like the big set 

 position traps, 

 when the finger re- 

 leases the trigger 

 holding it. This re- 

 quires a little effort 

 to set, and is not 

 entirely safe in the 

 hands of the inex- 

 perienced because of 

 the great force with 

 which the spiral 

 spring throws 

 around the arm and 

 the fingers that 

 hold the bird. 



So is field prac- 

 tise made available 

 anywhere for the 

 seasoned lover of 

 the scattergun. 



How to Waterproof 

 Your Boots 



The bird can Itaxc one oi' these hand- 

 traps at a velocity of 150 feet per second 



This hand-trap has a powerful spring. 

 It should not be operated by the inexpe- 

 rienced, as it can deliver a terrific blow 



TALLOW has been used a great deal 

 for waterproofing boots. But au- 

 thorities on the subject of leather say 

 that tallow is not the best thing to use 

 because it contains a high percentage of 

 fatty acid which is bad for leather. 



Any good, heavy 

 ^ grease will make 

 leather boots water- 

 proof, if the leather 

 is thoroughly soak- 

 ed in it. One of the 

 best substances to 

 use is a belt pre- 

 servative. The 

 most important 

 point in water- 

 proofing boots is to 

 use something that 

 will fill the small 

 openings and stitch 

 holes. Belt pre- 

 servative will best 

 accomplish this 

 result. 



Boots should be 

 well washed before 

 being treated. 

 They must be 

 warmed, but not 

 allowed to get too 

 hot. Leather will 

 stand no more heat 

 than will your 

 hand. The preserv- 

 ative is then heated 

 and painted on the 

 warm boots. They 

 are kept warm until 

 the oil has pene- 

 trated the pores of 

 the leather. This 

 process may be re- 

 peated several 

 times, care being 

 taken to work the 

 preservative well in 

 around the stitches. 

 Boots cannot be 

 polished after being 

 waterproofed be- 

 cause the leather is 

 left much too soft 

 and porous. 



