INLAND AND ON THE SHORE 67 



1 1 oz. of No. 4 or No. 3 put him on excellent terms 

 with them ; if a bunch of birds is coming high over 

 him he can rattle 3^ oz. of Newcastle No. i or. 

 London No. 2 into their line of flight ; or, if on the 

 shore the most careful stalking fails to bring him 

 within eighty yards of a gathering of fowl, and there 

 is no chance that they will work nearer to him, his 

 3^ oz., or even 4 oz., of London No. i or New- 

 castle B.B. well placed will often do satisfactory 

 execution. 



From my own experience and tests I recom- 

 mend soft shot before chilled when any size larger 

 than No. 4 is used. I advise the gunner always 

 to load his brass cases himself. The leading smoke- 

 less powders now perform so well in heavy charges 

 that there remains no excuse for using black powder 

 in shoulder-guns. The different makers will always 

 give advice about loading when particulars as to 

 the bore and weight of the gun and the length of 

 the case are placed before them. Cases which wet 

 will affect should never be used. A sling, enabling 

 the wild-fowler to carry his gun slung round his 

 shoulder, and freeing him from all necessity of ever 

 laying it down in the wet, is an immense convenience 

 under many circumstances. One's fellows are gene- 

 rally inclined to let loose plenty of chaff when they 



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