THE FOWLING-PIECE. 331 



a larger mass of paper. Fur and feathers of game 

 do not present such a resisting body to the shot as 

 the leaves of a book do ; therefore, although large 

 shot will bear the above test, a much fairer way of 

 trying it would be to fire at thin pieces of wood 

 fixed upright, (a pile of cigar boxes would answer 

 the purpose). The latter trial would, we think, 

 convince any one of the great difference in momen- 

 tum between the two charges. At forty yards, not 

 more than three No. 7 pellets could be calculated 

 upon to strike a partridge, and those from a light 

 gun would necessarily be weak ; whereas, at that 

 distance, with our charge two No. 2 pellets might 

 be calculated upon, and with what effect we leave 

 the experimentalist to decide, when he has tried it 

 at a target composed of pieces of wood one-eighth, 

 one-third, and one-half of an inch thick. 



It is not so much the velocity as the momentum 

 of a shot that renders it effective. The momentum 

 of a shot increases in a direct ratio with its weight. 

 The momentum of a No. 2 shot much more than 

 compensates for the diminished weight of powder 

 and additional weight of lead that we have recom- 

 mended. 



The structure of a bird or quadruped not pro- 

 tected by feathers or fur and we contend that 

 game is very slightly so protected as against shot 

 may be compared with ibhat of a ship. It is a 

 well ascertained fact, that a 64 ft), ball, moving with 

 only half the velocity of a 32 tt>. ball, would pro- 

 duce more than double the effect ; the larger, but 

 slowly-flying ball, would split a much thicker mast 



