546 Mr. H. Seebohm on the 



Of our first charge we get 409 shots in the pound of powder, 

 of our second 256-258, and of our third 170. 2i drams of 

 powder allow about 102 charges to the pound. 



Of shot 96, 42 and 26 in the pound, as compared to 13 of 

 the big gun. Of course the big gun can throw small charges,- 

 but it does not do it so well as the small one. Now we 

 venture to say that at least 80 out of every 100 specimens 

 killed in the forest will fall to the first and second charges, 

 and a little amount of careful stalking and manoeuvring will 

 bring any thing else (Ducks, sea-fowl, &c.) within range of 

 the third and big shot, special charge. 



An ordinary gun-case will carry about 140 of these small 

 cartridges, or, on an average, 700 shots, as we have shown ; 

 and we think that when the relief of carrying the smaller 

 weight of gun and ammunition when afield collecting (espe- 

 cially in a hot climate) is considered, the saving in bulk, as 

 luggage (impedimenta), and the saving of good ammunition 

 (not to be got in out-of-the-way places the best, usually, 

 in which to collect), our collecting-brethren of the B. O. U. 

 will thank us for the foregoing " wrinkle " about small-bore 

 guns. 



XL. On the Interbreeding of Birds. By HENRY SEEBOHM. 



THE interbreeding of birds supposed to be specifically distinct 

 is a subject which has been much neglected by ornithologists. 

 The existence of intermediate forms so produced has been as 

 much as possible ignored. Where the facts were too obvious 

 to admit of doubt, the so-called cross was contemptuously 

 dismissed as a hybrid a monstrosity and, as such, possessing 

 no more scientific interest than a white blackbird or a six- 

 legged calf. So long as each species was supposed to have 

 had a separate origin, and to be divided by a hard and fast 

 line from every other species, this attitude of ornithologists 

 towards interbreeding was excusable ; but now that the theory 

 of development has been generally accepted, the subject will 

 be found to possess the greatest interest and to throw unex- 

 pected light upon the origin of species. 



