PREFACE. V 



cautiously abstained from any risk of bias in favour of par- 

 ticular interests, that even in the descriptions of the mecha- 

 nical details of gunmaking I have not availed myself of the 

 supervision of a professed gunmaker, although I might easily 

 have obtained that assistance. This may possibly lead to 

 some slight errors of commission or omission; but I con- 

 sidered that it would be better to run the chance of these 

 than to incur the suspicion of a tendency or leaning in 

 some direction or other, which would probably be mani- 

 fested. The book is, indeed, to be regarded more as a de- 

 scription of the various shot-guns and rifles after they are 

 made than of the processes by which they are brought to the 

 state in which they are offered to the public. 



In addition to the three books on Tlie Theory of Gunnery, 

 on The Shot-gun, and The Sporting -rifle, three others are 

 appended, on Game, The Animals used in Pursuit of it, and 

 The Methods of Preserving it from Vermin and the Poacher. 

 Finally, a short chapter on the present Game Laws closes 

 the volume, which it is thus hoped will be made a full com- 

 pendium for the shooter. 



Most of the originals for the various elaborate drawings 

 and sections of the guns included in this volume have been 

 kindly lent me by their makers or inventors, to whom I 

 beg to offer my thanks for their courtesy and constant 

 readiness to afford to me every assistance in their power. 



STONEHENGE. 



