COLLECTING. 1 1 



size of a jay, after which number eight will kill 

 better and cleaner, and I should use this size as 

 long as it will bring down the birds ; and it is sur- 

 prising to see how large species may be killed with 

 it. I have taken brown pelicans, wild geese, and 

 large hawks with number eight, and I once secured 

 a frigate-bird with it, all at good distances. For 

 very large birds like cranes, white pelicans, or 

 eagles I have used a rifle very successfully. A 

 thirty-two gauge Allen is my favorite gun, and I 

 have killed birds at all distances from twenty to 

 three hundred and twenty-five yards with it. Of 

 course, nearly all successful rifle shots must be 

 made at sitting birds, as I have met with but few 

 who could bring them down when flying. Another 

 good method of securing large shy birds which go 

 in flocks, is to load with buckshot, putting a stiff 

 charge of powder, say three to five drachms, behind 

 it, then fire into the flock from a distance, elevating 

 the gun at an angle of some forty-five degrees 

 above the birds. I have killed both species of pel- 

 icans at two hundred yards distant in this way. 



Section III.: Procuring Birds. — Birds are 

 to be found nearly everywhere, in fact, there is 

 scarcely a square acre of land on the face of the 

 earth which is not inhabited, at one season or 



