402 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



wary birds, and as they are far narrower than of 

 yore we grudge space taken up inboard. To see 

 a fowler squeezing a long heavy stock under his 

 arm, and to be told this is to ease the recoil, raises 

 the question why the ropes should not do the work 

 instead, as of course they ought.* A half-charged 

 gun would come flying back into the stern of the 

 punt, if three men held it instead of one for that 

 matter, did the ropes give way. By all means raise 

 the muzzle to aim by pressing on the stock that is 

 under the arm ; if in a single side-paddling punt, 

 do you fancy such a clumsy method ? That is 

 altogether another thing. In taking up the recoil 

 of a punt-gun, depend upon it the best way is by 

 means of trunnions on either side of the barrel, but 

 in small guns it may be done (as shown in sketch) 

 by the stock, though this latter plan gives rather too 

 much play to the breeching. Both plans distribute 

 the recoil fairly fore and aft in a line with the 

 bore, and the charge is delivered in the direction 

 the gun is laid ; a much desired, but not always 



* As well might an artilleryman shoulder a field-piece. Besides 

 this, a fowler with a stock under his arm cannot dip it for a high- 

 flying shot, or turn the muzzle far to right or left. In fact, he is 

 handicapped in every way for quick easy shooting. Let him try a 

 short stock, and on dropping his paddles he can instantly direct his 

 aim in any direction, high, low, right, left, or centre. Laying the 

 gun as a fixture in a notched rest, and so guiding the punt till the 

 muzzle points fair on the fowl, is a slow and bad method of shooting. 

 Instead of this it is much simpler to use a short stock and direct 

 the gun with the hands instead. When in shot, and the string-tied 

 paddles are let go, how much easier than moving the body from 

 side to side to bring the sight on the birds, or turning the punt's stem 

 exactly towards them ! I am, of course, now alluding to a single over 

 each side paddling punt. Of all things avoid a " set gun " ; a shell 

 will then set your aim adrift when running into a shallow ; .a few 

 fowl in the stern equally so. It is the worst of plans. 



