10 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



The Express rifle is ft term signifying velocity, and this is 

 generally accompanied by a hollow bullet, which is intended to 

 serve two purposes to lighten the bullet, and therefore to reduce 

 the work of the powder, and to secure an expansion and smash-up 

 of the lead ujion impact with the animal. I contend that the 

 smashing up of the bullet is a mistake, except in certain cases 

 such as I have already mentioned, where the animal is small and 

 harmless like the black-buck which inhabits level plains in the 

 vicinity of population, and whtre the bullet would be exceedingly 

 dangerous should it pass through the antelope and ricochet into 

 some unlucky village. 



As I have already advised the purchaser of a rifle to consider the 

 purpose for which he requires the weapon, in like manner I would 

 suggest that he should reflect upon the special purpose for which 

 he requires the- bullet. He should ask himself the questions 

 " What is a bullet ? " and " What is the duty of a bullet ? " 



A bullet is generally supposed to be a projectile capable of re- 

 taining its component parts in their integrity. The duty of the 

 bullet is to preserve its direct course ; it should possess a power of 

 great penetration, should not be easily deflected, and together with 

 penetrating power it should produce a stunning effect by an over- 

 powering striking energy. 



How are we to combine these qualities? If the projectile has 

 great penetrating force it will pass completely through an animal, 

 and the striking energy will be diminished, as the force that should 

 have been expended upon the body is expending itself in propelling 

 the bullet after it has passed through the body. This must be 

 wrong, as it is self-evident that the striking energy or knock-down 

 blow must depend upon the resistance which the body offers to the 

 projectile. If the bullet remains within it, the striking energy, 

 complete and entire, without any waste whatever, remains within 

 the body struck. If, therefore, a bullet 'o77 of G48 grains pro- 

 pelled by G drams of powder has at fifty yards a striking energy of 

 .'?500 foot-pounds, that force is expended upon the object struck, 

 provided it is stopped by the opposing body. 



We should therefore endeavour to prevent the bullet from 

 passing through an animal, if it is necessary to concentrate the full 

 jower of the projectile upon the resisting body. 



This is one reason adduced in favour of the hollow Express 

 bullet, which smashes up into minute films of lead when it strikes 

 the hard muscles of an animal, owing to its extreme velocity, and 

 the weakness of its parts through the hollowness of its centre. 



I contend, on the eon t ran', that the bullet has committed 



