Guide to Taxidermy 



there can be but one answer, — use just as small 

 shot as you can and still be sure of getting your 

 bird. We have done considerable shooting our- 

 selves and have handled thousands of specimens 

 killed by others, so we may presume to be pretty 

 well acquainted with this subject. We always use 

 and recommend the use of factory loaded ammuni- 

 tion. Many gun dealers do not carry in stock, car- 

 tridges loaded with finer than No. 10 shot, so it 

 may be necessary for you to have them ordered or 

 loaded specially for you, which will be done on an 

 order of 500 shells; or you can buy empty shells 

 and load them yourself. 



Since we always carry our collecting gun with 

 us, we never use smaller shot for the double-barrel 

 than No. 10, but if you have no small arm, you will 

 need a large percentage of your shells loaded with 

 either dust or No. 12. 



For all small birds up to the size of a jay, we ad- 

 vise the use of the smallest shot you can get. 



For larger birds up to a crow. No. 10 is admir- 

 ably adapted. Crows, hawks, owls, grouse and 

 others of like size are least injured and most cer- 

 tainly obtained with No. 7. Ducks, and in fact 

 nearly all of the largest birds can be secured with 

 No. 4 shot. No 2's are often effective with swans 



