392 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



7olbs. to 2Oolbs.* But there are always second- 

 hand ones to be picked up, that may be got at less 

 than half the original cost. Small breech-loading 

 punt-guns can be built on various plans to answer 

 well ; but a large weapon is wanted when the shoot- 

 ing is good, one to shoot some two pounds of shot. 

 I believe very few breech-loading punt-guns have 

 yet been made to use this charge with safety, 

 without being too cumbersome and heavy in a duck- 

 punt, unless the latter be of such great beam and 

 size as to be of little use out fowling. 



To say breech-loaders as punt-guns will entirely 

 supersede muzzle-loaders, because the latter were 

 laid aside as shoulder-pieces, is a poor argument. 

 The two weapons are utterly unlike, both in them- 

 selves and their use. To see a man fumbling with 

 a muzzle-loader on land, with frost-bitten hands 

 diving for caps in his pockets, keeping everybody 

 waiting, losing birds rising all round, would in these 

 days be excruciating. A land-shooter cannot load 

 his gun too fast, whether to be ready for game 

 rising, or that may rise at any moment. The 

 modern breech-loader prevents the loss of shots 

 from tardy loading, and secures the animals or birds 



* Mr. Holland, of 98, New Bond Street, is, to my mind, far in 

 advance of all other gunmakers in the manufacture of punt-guns. He 

 is willing to act on the experience of practical gunners, and differs 

 from most gunmakers, who, as a rule, scoff at the very idea of any 

 room for improvement in this line, each to his fancy ; and bad enough 

 most of their fancies are in the way of big guns, the majority useless 

 for what they are intended. To any one who can give the price, I 

 would recommend the above maker's guns, should they desire to pur- 

 chase a breech-loader. They are beautifully made, simple and safe. 

 They are bored out of the solid steel, which, being so strong, enables 

 the barrels to be made lighter than if of iron. 



