SOUTH AFRICAN SHOOTING. 137 



ling I can affirm, so rapid is the movement of their 

 >, that you cannot follow them distinctly with the 

 A cock of this family when in full plumage, 

 id of the wild race, is a splendid prize, being 

 >rth from jo to ^80 sterling. So I pitched the 

 > resign t of my rifle upon the centre of his body, 

 len forged about three feet in front of the quarry 

 ifore pulling the trigger, when over he went, 

 >ing no small amount of injury to his beautiful 

 lumes by the abrupt manner in which he was 

 msed to kiss mother earth. 



A '500 Express, with a hollow bullet and 5 drs. 

 powder, is a wonderful killer of all soft-skinned 

 animals when the range does not exceed two hun- 

 dred yards. After that distance the flight of the 

 hollow projectile becomes very erratic. 



For South African shooting, after you enter the 

 bush veldt, as long as you have not buffalo, elephant, 

 or other thick-skinned beasts to deal with, the Ex- 

 press is the prince of weapons ; but on the last- 

 mentioned they are comparatively or nearly useless. 

 However, there is no denying that they destroy the 

 appearance of a quantity of the meat in the vicinity 

 of where the bullet has found its billet. On the 

 grass flats of the Orange Free State and other 

 similar localities, where cover is scarce, and game 

 wild, from being frequently disturbed, thus necessi- 

 tating long shots, say upwards of four hundred yards, 

 being made, they are naught but a source of disap- 



