6 
FIELD ORNITHOLOGY. 
right), across the front of your person, the hand on the grip, the muzzle elevated about 45°. 
2. Hang it by the trigger guard hitched over the forearm brought round to the breast, the 
stock passing behind the upper arm, the muzzle pointing to the ground a pace or so in front 
of you. 3. Shoulder it, the hand on the grip or heel-plate, the muzzle pointing upward 
at least 45°. 4. Shoulder it reversed, the hand grasping the barrels about their middle, the 
muzzle pointing forward and downward : this is perfectly admissible, but is the most awkward 
position of all to recover from. Always carry a loaded gun at half-cock, unless you are about 
to shoot. Most good guns are now fitted with rebounding locks, an arrangement by which 
the hammer is thrown back to half-cock as soon as the blow is delivered on the pin. This 
admirable device is a great safe-guard, and is particularly eligible for breech-loaders, as the 
barrels may be unlocked and relocked without touching the hammers. Unless the lock fail, 
accidental discharge is impossible, except under these circumstances : a, a direct blow on the 
nipple or pin; h, catching of both hammer and trigger simultaneously, drawing back of 
the former and its release whilst the trigger is still held, — the chances against which are 
simply incalculable. Full-cock, tickhsli as it seems, is safer than no-cock, when a tap on 
the hammer or even the heel-plate, or a slight catch and release of the hammer, may cause 
discharge. Never let the muzzle of a loaded gun point toward your own person for a 
single instant. Get your gun over fences, or into boats or carriages, before you get over 
or in yourself, or at any rate no later. Remove caps or cartridges on entering a house. 
Never aim a gun, loaded or not, at any object, unless you mean to press the trigger. Never 
put a loaded gun away long enough to forget whether it is loaded or not ; never leave a 
loaded gun to be found by others under circumstances reasonably presupposing it to be un- 
loaded. Never put a gun where it can be knocked down by a dog or a child. Never imagine 
that there can be any excuse for leaving a breech-loader loaded under any circumstances. 
Never forget that the idiots who kill people because they did n't know it was loaded," are 
perennial. Never forget that though a gunning accident may be sometimes interpreted (from 
a certain standpoint) as a dispensation of Providence," such dispensations happen oftenest 
to the careless. 
To Clean a Gun properly requires some knowledge, more good temper, and most 
''elbow-grease;" it is dirty, disagreeable, inevitable work, which laziness, business, tiredness, 
indifference, and good taste will by turns tempt you to shirk. After a hunt you are tired, have 
your clothes to change, a meal to eat, a lot of birds to skin, a journal to write up. If you 
''sub-let" the contract the chances are it is but half fulfilled; serve yourself, if you want to 
be well served. If you cannot find time for a regular cleaning, an intolerably foul gun may be 
made to do another day's work by swabbing for a few moments with a wet (not dripping) rag, 
and then with an oiled one. For the full wash use cold water first ; it loosens dirt better than 
hot water. Set the barrels in a pail of water ; wrap the end of the cleaning rod with tow or 
cloth, and pump away till your arms ache. Change the rag or tow, and the water too, till 
they both stay clean for all the swabbing you can do. Fill the barrels with boiling water till 
they are well heated ; pour it out, wipe as dry as possible inside and out, and set them by a 
fire. Finish with a light oiling, inside and out ; touch up all the metal about the stock, and 
polish the wood-work. Do not remove the locks oftener than is necessary ; every time they 
are taken out, something of the exquisite fitting that marks a good gun may be lost ; as long 
as they work smoothly take it for granted they are all right. The same direction applies to 
nipples. To keep a gun well, under long disuse, it should have had a particularly thorough 
cleaning; the chambers should be packed with greasy tow; greased wads may be rammed at 
intervals along the barrels ; or the barrels may be filled with melted tallow. Neat's-foot is 
recommended as the best easily procured oil ; porpoise-oil which is, I believe, used by watch- 
makers, is the very best; the oil made for use on sewing-machines is excellent; "olive" oil 
