48 



PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



made of heavy leather or canvas, and is so well balanced, 

 when packed, that it is readily carried. 



For rifles and shot-guns, which have not detachable 

 barrels, long cases are necessary. They are made in great 

 variety of leather and canvas. Those of leather afford 

 the best protection and are most serviceable, but they are 

 too bulky for camp use. 



The canvas covers are cheap and convenient. They 

 will protect from dust and dampness, are easily used on 

 the saddle, and can be folded and packed in saddle- 

 bags when the gun is in use. A strong leather handle 

 facilitates carrying, and they will afford better protection 

 in rainy weather than the fringed Indian buckskin cover. 



Ammunition requires 

 greater care than the gun. 

 A wet or corroded cartridge 

 that fails to explode, may 

 often lead to loss of life or 

 severe wounds from enraged 

 animals. A gun can be 

 cleaned and oiled in a few 

 minutes, but a wet cartridge 

 is both useless and danger- 

 ous. Many hunters carry 

 their rifle cartridges over 

 the dusty plains in narrow 

 belts, and shoot them reck- 

 lessly when coated with dirt, 

 grinding the rifling out of 

 the guns, and ruining them for long range shooting. 

 Compact ammunition cases are now made for both shot- 

 ' gun and rifle, which hold cartridges, shells, ammunition 

 and loading apparatus. 



An ammunition case of sole-leather is the best, and 

 carries a rifle's outfit securely and conveniently. 



The shot-gun ammunition case is generally adopted by 



AMMUNITION CASE FOK EIFLE. 



