THE SHOOTER'S GUIDE. 



cave perhaps the better. If the sportsman does not 

 reside near a gun-smith, a village black-smith woul^ 

 surely be capable of doing so trifling a job. 



That the best fowling-pieces are manufactured in 

 London I am very willing to allow; but I have seen 

 unexceptionable guns made in the country ; at all 

 events, it is inconvenient to send to London for every 

 trifle, if the sportsman reside at a distance. In thus 

 speaking, I wish by no means to be understood as- 

 despising the invention of the elevated breech; on the 

 contrary, 1 think it a good idea : but as I have spoken 

 of it at length in the preceding pages, I shall here 

 conclude the subject* 



Of the Stock, Lock, $c. 



On that essential part of the fowling-piece, the stock, 

 many different opinions will be found to exist: 

 some preferring it short, others long; many are much 

 attached to a considerable curvature, while others 

 will choose it almost straight : and good shots will 

 perhaps be equally found, though they make use of 

 stocks of different dimensions and forms, and this 

 arises entirely from practising the different methods. 

 As to the curvature, no particular degree can be as- 

 signed as a standard ; different persons requiring dif- 

 ferent degrees, according to the length of their neck, 

 as well as to the manner in which they hold their 

 head while taking aim. This, therefore, as well as 



