BAY SHOOTING. 119 
only. But tliis gun should not be fired with to exceed 1 oz. at 
the utmost of No. 8 shot. 
For autumn shooting, spring Snipe shooting and the like, 
the piece I should recommend would be 32 inches barrel, 14 
guage, and from 1\ to 8 lbs. weight, and this I believe to be 
the most killing proportion that can be adopted, and by all 
odds the best gun for general shooting, and therefore the most 
serviceable and most appropriate for a man who uses but one 
piece. 
For Bay Snipe shooting, or inland wild fowl shooting, a heav¬ 
ier piece is requisite, if we would do the greatest possible exe¬ 
cution with a given gun, and for these purposes I would prefer 
a length of 32 inches with a weight of ten pounds, and a guag3 
of 12. I am still speaking of double guns. 
But for large-fowl shooting, and especially at large flocks, I 
would by all means prefer a single gun, as a double gun of the 
requisite length and calibre would be wholly unmanageable if 
made of the proper weight of metal; and must consequently be 
made so light, preserving the true length and guage, as to kick 
very severely, if not to be dangerous. 
The heaviest shoulder gun that can be used conveniently and 
quickly, is from 13 to 16 lbs., and with this weight a length of 42 
inches, and No. 7 guage, 3 oz. of No. 1 or 2 shot can be thrown 
with the greatest possible effect, and will do more execution 
than larger shot. A is the biggest that should ever be fired from 
a shoulder gun, and if made in a green wire cartridge, will exe 
cute as far as can possibly be desired, even at Geese or Swans. 
The best wadding for Duck guns is thick felt wadding, and the 
best powder is that already named—Curtis & Harvey’s Hawker's 
Ducking powder. A little less than the same measure which 
contains your charge of shot, full of powder, is the right charge 
for guns of all weights and calibres, according to the new and 
true system of heavy powder, light shot. 
I am perfectly satisfied that one sportsman, using two such 
single guns as that here described, will kill double the quantity 
of game that will be brought to bag by another using a double 
