SHOT. 97 



other two numbers, from 1 upwards. All sizes above 

 3, or 2 at largest, I shall bring under the head of duck- 

 guns, with which only they will lie compact in the 

 caliber; though, if I went out solely for the purpose 

 of shooting wildfowl with a small gun, then I should 

 of course prefer No. 3 to No. 7. 



No. 9 is rather too small, and the use of dust shot 

 absurd, except for small birds ; as, at any distance, 

 snipes will fly away with it, if shot in the body ; and, 

 to break a bone with it, the bird must be very close : 

 add to which, its disadvantage in windy weather, and 

 the impossibility of manufacturing it so well as the 

 regular numbered shot. 



The reason why small shot answers best is, that it 

 lies more compact in the barrel ; and, consequently, re- 

 ceives more effectually the force of the powder than 

 large shot, which can only have this advantage in a 

 proportionably large caliber. Thus it is, that a grain 

 of small shot, from a small gun, will kill far better, in 

 proportion, than one of large; and, with it, you have 

 not only the chances multiplied in favour of taking a 

 vital part, but the same advantage of penetrating 

 feathers, that a pin would have (with a moderate 

 pressure on it) over a nail; and it shoots so regular 

 a surface, that a bird, at forty yards, could very seldom * 

 get away ; whereas the large shot, from the objection 

 before named, will often fly so wide and irregular that 



* I say, very seldom, instead of never, by reason, that the best 

 gun in England, tried (although regularly cleaned) two hundred 

 times at sheets of paper, the size of birds, may once, or more, not 

 put a single grain in, although properly loaded and well directed. 



H 



