148 FRANK FORESTER S FIELD SPORTS. 



If they be staunch, and have good noses, and back well, and 



drop to shot, where they are, without stirring from the spot, and 



without being shouted at, they cannot be too fast ; and, if they 



will not do these things, it matters not -•- hether they be fast or 



slow — they are worthless. 



d/^-f' ■' The most effective-sized shot for Snipe shooting is unquestion- 



s * ably No. 8. With coarser shot, the charge will be so much 



V dispersed that so small a bird as the Snipe will constantly 



'■■'•''" escape being hit, even when covered fairly ; with smaller, 



' • ^ birds will continually be wounded only, within point blank 



*^'t distance; and will frequently go away entirely unharmed. 



A^ '/f Farther than this, it is very rare to find a lever-topped belt or 



f flask — which is by far the best implement for carrying shot — 



, that will not suffer any shot smaller than No. 8 to escape, even 



t ^ when the spring is down. 



Many English writers, I observe, recommend the use of two 



' ' ' different sized kind of shot, one in either barrel ; but this is, in 



'" my opinion, neither sportsmanlike nor effective. In all events, 



,^../ the barrels of a gun ought to be fired alternately; otherwise, 



.- ■ .y as five single shots are fired for one double, one barrel will be 



. ' worn out while the other is, comparatively speaking, new. My 



, *■ own experience has taught me that for all our Upland shooting, 



' "^ ^ except that of the Pinnated Grouse, at all seasons of the year, 



' ■■■*• ' No. 8 is the most effective shot. It will break the pinion of a 



^ • ( ^, Ruffed Grouse at fifty yards, and that is all that can be desired ; 



f .^ and when fired from a close-shooting gun, properly brought to 



, ^ bear, will riddle its target thoroughly at the same distance. All 



<t- Ci^ii ' that is gained in weight and power by the use of larger shot, is 



■ f /k . lost in the condensation of a charge. This will be easily under- 



,*«./-«•: stood when the reader is informed that an ounce of No. 8 shot 



r»4 •>-» contains six hundred grains, or pellets, while No. 7 contains but 



three hundred and forty-one; so that at the same distance, 



with the same gun, the chances are nearly as two to one in 



'''- '' favor of hitting a small mark with No. 8 over the larger shot; 



■' ',' the greater the distance, the greater the advantage in this respect 



> » ^ ^ of the smaller pellets ; inasmuch as all shot are propelled on 



