TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Annigurry and origin of Field Sports. Wanting among the Israelites, In As- 
syria; in Persia; Royal Parks, or Paradises; in Greece; among the Ro- 
mans; the descent of the Norse races; the chase a northern passion; un- 
congenial to the Latin nations; universal among people of Norse origin; 
not notable in provincial Britain; imported by the early Saxons; ancient 
statutes; increased after the Norman conquest; cruel game and forest laws; 
their relaxation; continuance of the taste among the English gentry; its 
effect on their character; New York prejudices; modification of these; un- 
manliness of young men ; public attention called to the want of relaxation ; 
true sense of the word re-creation; present need of re-creation; influence 
of field sports in soldiership; Balaklava and the trenches; a contrast; a 
recommendation; what I promise tomy readers . . . pp. 17-88 
THE GUN, AND HOW TO CHOOSE IT. 
Shooting with gun or rifle the first of American Field Sports. Hunting, proper, 
little practised; severity of northern winters; the Washington and Mon- 
treal fox-hounds; fox-hunting in Maryland and Virginia; deer-hunting in 
the Carolinas and Georgia; bear-hunting in Mississippi and Arkansas; 
coursing deer in the prairie States; forest game not hunted, but stalked or 
driven; stable-stand and dog-draw; ancient British and modern American 
hunting nearly identical; the cross-bow; shooting, the first qualification 
of the American sportsman; dog management; wood-craft ; the crack shot; 
false sportsmen; the fowling-piece; the percussion gun; the old flint and 
steel; their comparative advantages; flint and steel every where exploded; 
even in armies; the double gun; the perfection of shooting ; the single gun; 
the latter good for beginners; its weight; its comparative effect; its con- 
tinued service. The gun must be intrinsically good; must especially suit 
its owner. Why one gun suits, and another not; how to try if a gun suits 
or no. The trigger-pull; how to ascertain its force; the light pull; the 
heavy pull; the true power; cause of missed shots. The actual quality of 
guns; difficult to ascertain; metal of which made; the common cl eap gun; 
how to procure a good gun; how a bad one; the flashy, cheap, sham gun; 
how a good judge judges; forged nantes of gunmakers; Birmingham, Ger- 
man, Belgian rubbish; best quality of barrels; various opinions on; my 
own taste; why; London makers; provincial do.; wholesale do.; Ameri- 
can do.; which the best; why so; comparative price of the best guns of 
each; recommendations, according to value. Double-barrels; revolving 
shot-guns; breech-loading do.; Lang's patent gun; Perry’s patent do.; 
