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IV. 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
By the late H. W. Bates, f.r.s. 
Revised by P. L. Sclater, f.r.s. 
In the present state of biological science, travellers who intend to devote 
themselves specially to the zoological or botanical investigation of new 
or little-known countries, require to be trained for the work beforehand, 
and will be necessarily well-informed as to methods and appliances. It 
is not for them that these ‘ Hints ’ are drawn up, but for general travellers 
and explorers, who, whilst engaged chiefly in survey, wish to know how 
best to profit by their opportunities of benefiting science by collecting 
examples of new or rare species, and how to preserve and safely 
transmit their specimens. The observations refer only to explorations by 
land. 
Outfit *—A double-barrel gun ; for large aquatic birds, &c., a breech¬ 
loader to be preferred, and wire cartridges. For Central Africa, and 
regions where large mammals are found, a more powerful weapon is 
also required. Mr. Thomson took with him on his Masai Land expedition 
a breech-loading 8-gauge elephant gun, double-barrel, smooth bore, and 
weighing about 11 lbs., and fitted with a thick Silver’s patent anti-recoil 
heel-plate; with its leather cover, powder measure, bullet-fixer and 
mould, &c. 
If percussion-cap guns are used, fine powder in canisters, and fine shot, 
must be taken from England; coarse powder and shot can be had at any 
* Implements, &c., for collecting and preserving birds, insects, &c., can be 
obtained of Mr. Janson, 44, Great Russell Street, W.C., or Messrs. Watkins 
and Doncaster, 36, Strand, W.C.; for the larger animals, as well as other articles 
of general travelling outfit, of Messrs. Silver and Co.. 67, Cornhill. 
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