BREECH-LOADERS. 75 



birds are thick, I fairly believe, all things consi- 

 dered, that a sportsman armed with a breech- 

 loader may easily kill twice as many birds as an 

 equal shot with a common gun. 



26. What sportsman, after a heavy day's 

 snipe-shooting under a hot sun, has not found 

 his hands all sore and blistered, from constantly 

 ramming down the charge ? Never this with 

 a breech-loader. "What an advantage this is 

 to the engineer officer, who has often in India 

 to give up the amusement of snipe- shooting, 

 because it makes his hands unfit to use the 

 pen. 



27. Who does not feel that he can shoot better 

 and with greater satisfaction, having his hands 

 clean ? whereas with a common gun they will in 

 a few times loading get blackened with exploded 

 powder, and sticky. Now, with a breech-loader, 

 a man may put on a pair of white kid gloves, 

 kill a good bag of game, and return with them 

 scarcely soiled. 



28. In cold weather, who has not found the 



