THE GUN, AND HOW TO CHOOSE IT. qT 
more serviceable 14 gauge for spring and fall snipe-shoot- 
ing, and for autumn shooting in general. To persons who 
can afford one only, such a piece would be nearly useless, 
as it would be two to one against him, the year through, 
compared with his companion carrying a gun such as I 
recommend. , 
In any event, it is a mere piece of luxury and cox- 
combry, scarce worthy of a sportsman, to affect a particu- 
lar gun for every season; and, what ig more, it is not 
unlikely to detract seriously from his shooting; even if it 
be built of exactly the same weight, bend and length of 
stock, and trigger-pull; since no two or more guns ever 
come up, much less shoot, exactly alike; nor does the 
same man ever execute equally with two guns. 
Like the proverbial man of one book, the man of 
one gun is to be bewared. He is likely to prove an ugly 
customer. 
In one case, I should recommend the adoption of a 
different gun to the above, or the use of two of different 
sizes. That is, where the shooter has little or no upland 
shooting; by which term I mean snipe, woodcock, quail, 
grouse, prairie-fowl and hare, using it in opposition not to 
lowland, but to bay shooting, and depends for his sport on 
the shores, lagoons, creeks, and beaches, or even inland 
rivers and lakes; when I would advise, in lieu of the gun 
I have so often described, one of ten Ibs. with two barrels 
of thirty-six inches, and 8 or 9 gauge. Such a gun is the 
most effective that can be had for single fowl or for small 
flocks, and for shore-birds, such as curlews, marlins, wil- 
let, plovers and the like. Where a sportsman is so lucky 
