GUNMAKERS AND PRICES. 343 



in India ; nor are magazine arms in great use, owing pro- 

 bably to certain imperfections which have to be corrected ; 

 which being done they should prove the very best for hunt- 

 ing on horseback buffalo and other animals. Writing as I 

 do for sportsmen an>d not " muffs," I need not warn them 

 against having their first gun, on coming out, with one barrel 

 choke and the other cylinder, " so as to be prepared for either 

 a partridge or a panther, Sir," such guns being likely to lead 

 to the escape of the bird, and to a probable mauling by the 

 beast. 



There is one thing young purchasers are apt to overlook, 

 and that is the proper fit of the guns to their shoulders and 

 length of arms ; but it is one of the utmost importance, and 

 on it depends good shooting. It is unreasonable to expect a 

 gun made for a tall thin man to fit a short stout one. You 

 who are particular about the fit of your coats, should be quite 

 as particular as to the fit of your guns. 



As to makers, whose names now are legion and merits 

 undeniable, what can be said in such an " embarras de 

 richesse." If you can afford that luxury, by all means get 

 your guns from Purdey, Lancaster, Alexander Henry and 

 others, who make you pay 10 or 20 for the honour of 

 using their manufactures, which will prove perfection in 

 almost all instances, but will not sell for half their cost when 

 you wish to dispose of them. "Westley-Klchards, Greener, 

 Lang, Holland, and others of their class, will provide you 

 with quite as serviceable arms for much less, which will 

 realise almost as much as the others when sold again. I 

 recommend those to whom a 10 note is a matter for con- 

 sideration, the second in preference to the first quality as 

 advertised by all really good makers, because the additional 

 greater original price paid for the former, will not be taken 

 into account by the purchaser of the second-hand article. As 

 every man has his fancy, based on reason or folly, so of course 

 have I ; and accordingly I cast my vote for Alexander Henry 

 of Edinburgh, for the most expensive works of art turned 

 out of gun factories, and for Westley-Richards for the stronger 



