APPENDIX. 331 



centre of the chamber, I mean, in the direction of the axis of the 

 bore. This cylindrical peg, which is much like the tige invented by 

 Colonel Touv'enin in 1828, arrests the jagged bullet at the precise 

 moment when the powder is sufficiently pressed to remove all chance 

 of the slightly six-grooved barrel's bursting ; and yet not so much 

 pressed as to interfere with the complete ignition of every^ grain. 

 These lie loose round the peg. The want of this complete ignition 

 (owing to the rapidity of explosion not giving time for all the par- 

 ticles of closely -wedged powder being fired) has been the only valid 

 objection yet ottered to the detonating system. Eor strong shooting, 

 the wad over the powder should be much thicker than the wad placed 

 over the shot. The several waddings now sold greased with some 

 mercurial preparation undeniably retard leading a great gain. If 

 the long nozzle of the shot-pouch fits close within the barrel, on un- 

 loading your gun you can easily return the shot into the pouch 

 without 'losing a grain. As a concluding piece of advice let me 

 recommend you, my young friend, to make but a light breakfast 

 whenever you expect a heavy day's work, take out, however, a 

 few sandwiches for luncheon. 



NOTE TO 283. Trapping. Owl as decoy. Hen Harrier. Keeper's 



Vermin dogs. Stoats. 



A good book for gamekeepers' on trapping is still a great desidera- 

 tum. It should be written by a practical man who is a bit of a 

 naturalist ; for no trapper can be very successful unless he is well 

 acquainted with the haunts and habits of the many kinds of vermin it 



is his business to destroy. Mr. C e's gamekeeper, at R n, 



Perthshire, who was well aware of the great importance of diligently 

 searching for their nests in the breeding season, was at length amply 

 repaid for often watching the proceedings of a hen-harrier frequently 

 seen hovering over a small wood not far from his cottage. He could 

 never perceive that she alighted on any of the trees ; but from the 

 time of year, and her so perseveringry returning to the spot, he felt 

 convinced that her nest was- not far off. Ineffectual, however, was 

 every search. At length, one morning he was lucky enough to 

 remark that something fell from her. He hunted close in that direc- 

 tion, found the nest, and the young ones regaling on a snipe whose 

 remains were still warm ; evidently the identical bird she had most 

 adroitly dropped from a considerable height into the middle of her 

 hungry brood. It would have been very interesting to have observed 

 how she managed on a windy day. Probably she would have taken 

 an easy shot by sweeping close to the trees. In Germany much 

 winged vermin is destroyed with the aid of a decoy honied owl. The 

 keeper having selected a favourable spot on a low hillock where the 

 bird is likely to be observed, drives an upright post into the ground, 

 the upper part of which is hollowed. The bird is placed on a perch 

 much shaped like the letter T. A string is attached to the 

 bottom of the perpendicular part, which is then dropped into the 

 hollow or socket. The armed keeper conceals himself in a loopholed 

 sentry-box, prepared of green boughs, at a suitable distance, amidst 



