BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



[8] 



should be loaded with Americaa wood powder, grade B, and No. 12 

 shot. Black powder mixed with the wood powder will give better pen- 

 etration but more noise, and fouls the gun much sooner. 



In addition to shotguns, a good, well tested .32 caliber 

 rifle will prove very useful for wary birds of large size, 

 such as the various hawks, eagles, herons, etc. With 

 a rifle of this caliber birds the size of a large hawk may 

 be killed without injury as specimens, while the ball is 

 large enough for ordinary game. Even a good .22 cali- 

 bre rifle would be very useful if used with the i^roper 

 ammunition. 



As to ammunition for the 12-gauge gun, paper shells 

 which are not to be reloaded should be mainly depended 

 on; but to guard against the possibility of being with- 

 out ammunition a sufiflcient number of metal shells 

 should be kept in reserve. 



Regarding the use of the gun, directions are unneces- 

 sary, it being taken for granted that each person for 

 whom these suggestions are intended has already had 

 more or less experience, and knows enough to ahcays, 

 when in the presence of companions, consider a gun as 

 loaded and liable to "go off" when least expected, and 

 to 7iever, under any circumstances whatever (unless 

 harm is intended), point it towards any one, blow 

 into the muzzle, i^uU it toward him muzzle foremost, 

 or do any of the various foolish things which have 

 been the cause of nearly all the accidents from fire- 

 arms. 



The kind of ammunition to be taken of course depends 

 largely on the kind of guns in which it is to be used and 

 the special purpose for which it is intended. Only the 

 best of powder should be used; and in addition to a 

 sufficient supply of good black powder, one or more 

 cans of American wood powder (grade D for .32 caliber 

 shells and light charges for the 12-gauge gun, and grade 

 E for .22 caliber shells) are necessary. Plenty of good 

 felt wads are also required. The sizes of shot needed 

 are not easily determined; but as a general rule it is 

 unnecessary to have more than three, or at most four 

 sizes. For the smallest birds, No. 12 is the proper size, 

 the finer so-called "dust" shot carrying too close and 

 cutting the plumage too much. Perhaps the most serviceable selec- 

 tion would be Nos. 12, 8, and 4, or 3, for a 12-gauge gun, only the first 

 being used with the .32 and .22 caliber pieces. Some collectors use 

 other sizes in addition to those designated above, and possibly the 

 substitution of No. 10 for No. 8 and No. 6 for No. 4 would work very 



Fig. 1. — "Favorite 

 collecting pistol. 



