THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
“ A well-known Cornish gunner, Mr F. G. Emys, told me he kept a 
record of what ’cock he killed individually between 1859 and 1891, and 
the score was 2,051. He was the most accurate man I ever met, and I am 
quite sure that he would never count any bird that anyone else had a 
share in.” 
MELTON CONSTABLE, NORFOLK 
Lord Hastings writes that he has unfortunately mislaid the old game 
book which gives the great day in Swanton Wood, when 105 were shot, 
probably in 1872. 
He has kindly sent a list of totals since 1877, from which we have ex- 
tracted the bags for the best years in Swanton Wood, and the best days 
of the good years. 
N.B. — The bags in Swanton Wood, which is very large, are the results 
of more than one day’s shooting in each season : 
Season 
Beat 
During 
season 
Best Day 
Estate 
Totals 
1880 . 
Swanton Wood 
. — 
48 
106 
1884 
— 
40 
105 
1885 . 
>> 
66 
31 
128 
1888 . 
58 
33 
133 
1895 . 
>> 
— 
24 
100 
1903 
> > 
— 
24 
no 
1904 
>> 
58 
22 . 
no 
1905 
>> 
62 
34 
159 
1906 
60 
39 . 
136 
1907 
>> 
48 
23 
102 
1908 
ff 
. 109 
42 
210 
1909 
>> 
44 
22 
152 
1910 . 
} f 
54 
29 
112 
1911 
99 
— 
— 
136 
The best week’s shooting was in 1908, December 1, 2, 3, 4, when 
103 woodcocks were shot and 2,500 pheasants. 
Melton being close to the east coast of Norfolk, affords a resting place 
for the earliest migratory ’cock ; the first flights generally arrive early in 
October. 
ARTHUR ACLAND HOOD. 
260 
