46 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



many. I used one during an entire season in Minnesota. 

 One of the publishers of this volume tells me that he has 

 hunted with a Eemington for four seasons in the Eastern 

 States, on the prairies and among the Rocky Mountains, 

 and that he would not exchange it for any other make. 

 It is specially well ada23ted for light work. The Im- 

 proved Parker Shot Guns are highly regarded by some 

 sportsmen, and I would recommend them in preference 

 to guns of foreign manufacture. The Fox Patent Breech- 

 loader Shot Gun, with recent improvements, is meeting 

 with favor. It is a well shaped piece, and shoots hard 

 and close. The new Colt's Breech-loading Shot Gun has 

 recently come into the market, and will, it is claimed, be 

 still more popular, owing to its cheapness. 



The blow-pipe is of great service for collecting warblers 

 and other small birds. It should be made by encasing a 

 long glass tube in wood, to prevent breaking. The or- 

 dinary glass tubes used by glass-blowers, make good blow- 

 pipes, which should have a diameter of one-half inch, and 

 be not less than six feet long. 



To encase a pipe with wood, take two strips of straight- 

 grained pine, and plane or '^ gouge "out a half-round 

 groove the full length of each. Glue them together and 

 wire firmly over the glass pipe. When the glue is dry, 

 remove the wires, and plane the wood round until it has 

 a diameter of an inch and a half ; if smaller, it will sag, 

 and not do good shooting. Patty balls should be used, 

 and blown with a quick puif which is easily acquired by 

 practice. The putty is thickened with whiting until the 

 pellets will roll hard, but they should not be dry enough 

 to crumble. 



With this novel gun, I liave killed as many as fifty-six 

 beautiful warblers in less than a day, and spoiled but few 

 specimens in killing. The blow-gun can be used in any 

 place where a shot-gun would be objectionable. 



To protect guns in travelling, or in camp, from hard 



