HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
consisting of Dr. Ellacombe, of the B.S.A. Com- 
pany's Service; Messrs. T. L. Russell and H. C. 
de C. Evans, two well-known traders in Barotse- 
land, and the writer crossed the river from here 
to the recently conquered piece of country which 
was formerly known as the Caprivi Zipfel strip 
of German South-West Africa, and which abuts 
on the Zambesi at this point, with the object of 
indulging in an afternoon's pheasant shooting. 
After going about a mile we approached a lagoon 
of some considerable dimensions, when, to our 
astonishment, we saw a hippo on the far side 
some 30 yards from the water, in itself a sufficient- 
ly unusual spectacle in broad daylight. The wind 
was from the animal to us, but he evidently had 
heard us or suspected our presence, and walked 
slowly into the thick bush instead of plunging 
into the river. Having nothing but shotguns with 
us, it seemed impossible to attempt to do otherwise 
than leave him to his own devices. 
Mr. Evans had, however, learnt a trick from 
rm old hunter in Barotseland of cutting round the 
case of a cartridge just over the big wad which 
separates the shot from the powder, a process 
which he assured us rendered the charge at close 
quarters as effective as a rifle bullet of the heaviest 
calibre. Hastily cutting two No. A. A. A. cart- 
ridges, of which he had had a few with him, he 
made off round the end of the lagoon with the 
object of getting a shot at the hippo, if possible, 
followed somewhat sceptically by the rest of the 
party, who very naturally imagined that even 
if he succeeded in hitting the quarry, the only 
effect would be to alarm and annoy the latter and 
make it seek the shelter of the adjacent water. 
We had not long to wait before we heard two 
shots fired at intervals of about thirty seconds, 
shortly afterwards followed by three more, and, to 
our amazement, the grunting roar of a wounded 
hippo. In some trepidation for our companion's 
safety we hurried forward, and were greeted with 
the spectacle of the hippo in his death struggles, 
with Mr. Evans standing by cutting more cart- 
ridges with the utmost sang-froid in order to put 
the brute out of his pain. It appeared that he had 
crepl up to within about 20 ft. of the hippo before 
firing his firsl shot, which we found on examina- 
tion to have entered the ear to all intents and pur- 
poses like a bullet, as Mr. Evans had assured us 
il would. This shot brought the brute down, but 
it managed to gel to its legs again and stagger 
a tew yards, Mr. Evans following it and adminis- 
tering a second dose in the other ear. This finally 
brought it down, although it made frequent and 
desperate efforts to get to its feet and charge Mr. 
Evans, who eventually killed it with a well-directed 
shot through the heart from a rifle for which Mr. 
Russell had sent a boy back to camp as soon as 
Mr. Evans started on what we could not help re- 
garding as a fruitless and even foolhardy quest,. 
The hippo was a full-grown bull, and the weapon 
used was an ordinary 12-borc shotgun. 
The trick of cutting round a cartridge in the 
manner described may not be generally known, 
and may perhaps be of use to anyone finding him- 
self for any cause forced to depend upon the ser- 
vices of a shotgun when at close quarters with 
big game. Ernest H. Jalland. 
Sesheke, September, 1915. 
The following notice appeared in "Cage 
Birds," 6th Novembmer last: — 
BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR 
CANARY BREEDERS. 
We wonder if Canary breeders have grasped 
the significance of the advertisements which ap- 
peared in our issue of last week asking for Canar- 
ies in any quantity for export. 
The war has told hardly upon many classes 
of our countrymen, and there can be no doubt 
that among those that have suffered with the 
rest are bird-keepers in general. There is no 
cloud without a silver lining, however, and Canary 
breeders wall certainly have justification for opti- 
mism. An opportunity without precedent is now 
before them. The trade in German-bred Roller 
Canaries is at an end for a long period, if not per- 
manently, notwithstanding the statement in a 
London newspaper that the traffic is still being 
carried on via Holland, and a boundless prospect 
is opened up in connection with the supply of 
English Canaries, Rollers or other, to the 
United States. Wages in America are reckoned 
by the dollar, and in many cases a United States 
citizen, earning, as he does, dollars to the English 
worker's shillings, spends them with about the 
same degree of respect for their value. 
The American demand for English Canaries 
has always been large, and it will now be multi- 
plied in its extent. If our breeders do not rise to 
the occasion they will have only themselves to 
blame. We think there is little fear of such a 
contingency, and we are looking forward with 
lull confidence to a period of prosperity for our 
English breeders who are able to grasp the oppor- 
tunity now being presented to them. 
GENERAL NOTES. 
That several interesting articles are promised lor 
the December number, amongst which will be 
one by Walter Winans, Esq., "European 
Bisons," and one by Mr. Frank Finn on "The 
Incidental and Establishment Charges of the 
various Zoological Gardens." 
