138 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 9 



many a time have found their usefulness. Late 

 in the season the rubber coat will be found a 

 good protector. On the marshes nothing equals 

 it as a si>read. After a little practice you will 

 find a pair of glasses, either field or opera, of 

 great value. With them you can determine a 

 species at a distance, and save many steps. You 

 can also observe their actions very differently 

 than when disturbed by your approach. It will 

 be a great advantage to you to stud}' their vari- 

 ous positions, which is a greater help than any 

 illustrated book. I would not be without them. 

 Loading is important. For my twelve bore I 

 load shells as follows : 



For Ducks 4 drams of powder l?:^ oz. No. 4 shot. 

 Grouse 3 " 1>,' " " 6 



Quail 3 " !><,■ " " 8 



Plover 3)4 " IX " " 8 



Oriole 2)4 " 1 " " 10 



Warbler 1^ " )4 '* " 12 or dust. 



The last for Warblers is for close shooting say 

 thirty feet, and for this I generally use shells 

 that have been used before (reloaded.) There is 

 some difference in guns. I find the above to 

 work well with mine, and any one trying it to 

 start with, can soon by experimenting determine 

 the variation tliey may require. Use only the 

 best quality of powder — a cheap grade is too ex- 

 pensive — you will lose more birds than the differ- 

 ence in price will amount to. As a general thing 

 I use only two wads, one between powder and 

 shot and one after, and crimp all, except those 

 for Warblers. I do not use brass shells ; it is too 

 much trouble to save them ; prefer not to be 

 loaded down on the return trip. On several oc- 

 casions when out with others, I have been 

 amused at their annoyance at finding their shot 

 all rattled out, owing to the wads starting in 

 their brass shells. Perhaps in long trips where a 

 supply of paper shells could not be easily ob- 

 tained, it would be best to use the brass ones. 

 I use only the best wads. 



My small gun. You ask why not a breech 

 loader '? For this reason, it is a very strong bar- 

 rel — it is about forty-two gauge, and being a muz- 

 zle loader I can use a larger charge than any 

 cartridge used for the same size. When loaded 

 it holds what we used to know as four fingers. 

 With it I can kill as far as with my twelve bore, 

 but of course have to shoot close. 



So much for my outfit. Take it for your guide 

 to start with. Simple as it is, it cost me many 

 dollars experimenting, buying this thing and 

 that, until I finally settled down to It. 



I find that break of day is the best time to col- 

 lect our common birds. Have everything pre- 

 pared the night before — gun cleaned, shells load- 

 o<l, a supply of cotton, some newspapers cut in 

 one-quarter and one-half sheets, also a luuch — 



one that you can carry in your pocket. Take an 

 early start, so as to be on the grounds an hour 

 before sunrise. (Here let me advise that just be- 

 fore starting, you take a cup of coffee and eat 

 something, it nothing more than a cracker — you 

 will find by so doing you are in better trim for 

 your tramp. Those who are informed tell us 

 that it is safer. The system is better prepared to 

 resist anj- bad effects, colds, etc.) 



Locate yourself if possible by a stream, near 

 the edge of limber land. Now listen, you hear 

 rustles and chirp. Soon a note. Cock Robin 

 breaks forth with a song, our New England 

 Mocker (Thrush) replies from a neighboring 

 scrub oak, and so it goes, and by the time Old 

 Glory shows himself above the line, you have it 

 on every side. If you have selected the right 

 place, you can obtain a surprising variety with- 

 out moving far. Bird after bird will enter and 

 leave the woods at the comer, and small ones 

 will pa.ss and repass from the swamp by the 

 stream. Unless you are an expert, don't try to 

 shoot on the wing, you will have plenty of 

 chances on those trees; move under them and 

 wait. There they come. That little fellow 

 alights. Now be careful, don't be too quick. If 

 you are nervous, just lay down your gun. Sit 

 down and have a smoke. If not a smoker, well, 

 count a thousand backwards ; by this time you 

 feel better. Many a man has lost limb and life 

 by getting excited. Keep cool and keep your 

 wits about you. That gun while carefidly han- 

 dled is all right, but in careless hands it is fear- 

 ful. One slip, an accident, and your future pleas- 

 ure in this line is gone forever. Always bear in 

 mind — never shoot in a direction to endanger any 

 one, either a companion or passer by, whom you 

 did not suppose was there. But to the bird — take 

 a good aim, slow at first, with a little practice 

 you can soon do it quickly enough. If possible 

 shoot him side to you, it is less liable to shoot out 

 the tail feathers. Now then, fire. Good! You 

 have him, but he flutters. Pick him up at once. 

 He is not quite dead. You cannot always kill 

 outright — would that you could — we all wish so. 

 Take your bird with the right hand and lay him 

 on his back in the palm of the left. Press the 

 thumb and forefinger of the right hand gently 

 under the wings just under where they join the 

 body so that you can feel the heart beat between, 

 now press firmly and do not relax — this causes a 

 collapse of the lungs and heart. Your bird will 

 gasp a few times and all is over. It seems cruel, 

 but it is the only thing to do, it quickly ends it, 

 and in the most painless way I know of^it is the 

 unpleasant part of the whole business, but there 

 is no wa}' of avoiding it. Few things there are 



