CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 GIFT OF 
 Charles Brown 
 
uornell University Library 
 Fifty years with the gun and rod, includi 
 
 3 1924 016 411 278 
 
 Date Due 
 
 
 ^:ss»i<^'"' 
 
 
 
 i^s^ 
 
 ^jt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PRINTED IN 
 
 U. S. A. 
 
 (*^ 
 
 NO. 23233 
 
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 ANNEX '^ 
 LIBRARY 
 
 B 
 
 jii 
 
 104541 
 
The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924016411278 
 
FIFTY YEARS 
 
 WITH THE 
 
 GUN AND ROD 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 TABLES SHOWING THE VELOCITY, DISTANCE, 
 PENETRATION OR EFFECT OF SHOT, 
 
 CALCULATED BY 
 
 LEONARD CASE, Esq., 
 
 GUN TRIALS, BY THE CHICAGO FIELD; HOW AND 
 WHERE TO "HOLD," ETC. 
 
 D. W. CROSS, 
 
 CLEVELAND, OHIO: 
 
 Short & Forman, Printers and Stationers, 
 
 1880. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year ] 
 by Short & Forman, 
 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, 
 at "Washington, T>. C. 
 
 flllo'/- 
 
To the members of the Winous Point Shooting Club, (the oldest 
 organization of the kind in the State of Ohio,) and especially to Col. E. 
 A. Scovill, and Hon. Judge E. B. Sadler, skilled devotees of the rod 
 and gun ; and because each possesses as much patience as skill, some 
 charity, and, better than all, a cheerful countenance an<J an honest 
 heart, this work, without permission, is most affectionately inscribed. 
 
 D. W. CROSS. 
 Cleveland, O., 1880. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 As nobody ever reads a " Preface," an author can, if he please, make 
 ase of that hay-mow in which to stick as many little lots of sharp points, 
 laudations, and praises of himself and his useful "work " as he thinks 
 the generous public will stand, but at the same time quite confident they 
 will never be found to appear in judgment against him when on trial for 
 his alleged vanity. 
 
 Besides, he can steal and plagiarize to his heart's content, from all 
 his brilliant neighbors, and only give them credit in his " preface.'' The 
 wily critic will soon discover the brilliant and useful extracts (showing 
 the author's good sense) uncredited, and will come down on him like a 
 buzzard on a mourning dove, and charge Tiim before all the world with 
 the plagiarism. 
 
 This is j ust what was expected. When the sharp critic has worked up 
 the whole country into a savage and unrelenting disgust, and made things 
 ripe to send the guilty culprit into pluto or oblivion, he turns the tables 
 on his enemy by triumphantly referring to his "preface." There due 
 credit is given to all. The criminal is acquitted in a blaze of glory. He 
 has the public sympathy as a martyr. The just and generous public 
 knew all the time he was not a common thief ; and, priding themselves 
 on their sound sagacity, they summarily squelch the crest-fallen critic, 
 and — buy the book. 
 
 In this work the writer acknowledges his indebtedness to the late 
 Leonard Case, whose modesty and merit were the rivals of his life ; the 
 Chicago Field, the London Field, the British Encyclopedia and the 
 Bible. 
 
6 
 
 From all these he has made such drafts as he felt sure the grea' 
 public would accept, and — pay at sight — overlooking errors and applaud, 
 ing facts and truths, 'with charity and without malice. 
 
 He has endeavored to make the art of hunting and angling appear 
 honorable and worthy of the true sportsman ; to aid the beginner in 
 shortening his path to success ; to interest and assist the more experi- 
 enced, and to give, in short, the best experience of a life passionate!)' 
 devoted to these sports. 
 
 Finally, if it be admitted that he has been the means of imparting 
 some profitable suggestions and one pleasurable emotion to the heartfelt 
 sportsman, all he hoped for has been accomplished by 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 Cleveland, O., 1880. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Air, what composed of 98 
 
 Anglers, Ancient and Modern 12 
 
 Avoirdupois Weight 100 
 
 Bullet, Ounce, Distance, Velocity, Effect, etc 55 
 
 Bullet, Ounce, Fall of _.... 55 
 
 Blinds, and How to Blind 63 
 
 Ball, Projection and Effect of 64 
 
 Blue-Winged Teal, description, habits, etc 86 
 
 Blue-Winged Teal, charge, and how to hold 87 
 
 Blue-Bill, description, habits, etc g5 
 
 Blue-Bill, charge, and where to hold 96 
 
 Boats, How to Paddle and Pole ..128- 130 
 
 Brant, description, etc 96 
 
 Boots, Wading, Sandals for _ 114 
 
 Bass, Big-Mouth, locality and habits- . _. _I22, 123 
 
 Bass, Small-Mouth, locality and habits _ 122, 123 
 
 Bass, Comparative Gaminess 123, 124 
 
 Butter-Ball, Golden-Eye, Ruddy Duck, etc 91 
 
 Capacity, U. S. Measure of __ loi 
 
 Choke Bore, Killing Charge, by Greener 42 
 
 Choke Bore, Killing Charge, by Chicago Field Gun Trial 43 
 
 Cistern, Capacity of _. 98 
 
 Canvas-Back, description, habits, etc 92- 94 
 
 Canvas-Back, charge, how to hunt and hold 94 
 
 Dead-fall .-. 107- log 
 
 Distance Game travel in one-eighth second 48 
 
 Deer Hunting, Still and with Hounds 77, 78 
 
 Fish Hooks 136- 138 
 
 Flight of Birds.-- 47, 48 
 
 Game, Protection and Preservation of 12 
 
 Gun Makers, Ancient and Modern. ^ -. 14 
 
 Guns for Deer, Turkeys, Geese and Ducks _. 15 
 
8 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Guns, Projection and Penetration same in all 15 
 
 Guns, Field and Duck Shooting 15 
 
 Gun Trials, by Chicago Field-. _ 26 
 
 Gun Trials, Diiferent Charges Powder ._ 27, 28 
 
 Gun Trials, Different Sizes Powder 29, 30 
 
 Gun Trials, Different Charges Shot 30, 31 
 
 Gun Trials, Different Sizes Shot, at 40 yards..- 32, 33 
 
 Gun Trials, Different Sizes Shot, at 60 yards 34, 35 
 
 Gun Trials, Different Sizes Shot, at 80 yards. 35- 37 
 
 Gun Trials, Metallic vs. Paper Shells .37, 38 
 
 Gun Trials, Different Makes of Powder 39, 40 
 
 Gun Trials, Explanation of Terms used, etc 40, 41 
 
 Gun Trials, Effect on Sportsmen 41, 42 
 
 Gauge, 10 and 12, compared 43 
 
 Gauge, Diameters of 9 to 20 102 
 
 Grouse, Quail, Woodcock, Snipe, etc 79 
 
 Goose and Duck Shooting, three pre.requisites., _. 79 
 
 Geese, Wild, how to hunt them 80 
 
 Geese, Wild, charge, gun, distance, etc 81 
 
 Geese, Wild, Food of 81 
 
 Gadwall, description, habits, etc. __ 8g 
 
 Green.Winged Teal, description, habits, etc go 
 
 Gunpowder, when and by whom discovered 22 
 
 Gunpowder, Ingredients used in different countries __ 22 
 
 Guripowder, Weights for _ 100 
 
 Gunpowder, Expansion of _ _. 23 
 
 Gunpowder, Coarse ^ heaviest, bulk for bulk __ 23 
 
 Gunpowder should be weighed 23 
 
 Gunpowder, Analysis of__ 23 
 
 Gunpowder, cause of smoke. 24 
 
 Gunpowder, Manufacturers of, and Grading.. 24, 25 
 
 Gunpowder may not all burn in gun 25 
 
 Gunpowder, Relative Difference between Coarse, Fine and Mixed. 44 
 
 Hunting Rig — 16 
 
 Hunting Rig for Deer and Field Shooting 16 
 
 Hunting Boat, size of, etc 17 
 
 "Holding On" 46 
 
 "Holding On," why it is ever done 96 
 
 Initial Velocity - -- — 46 
 
 Laying the Corner Stone 11 
 
 Levers, Power of loi 
 
9 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Loader, how to make one 20 
 
 Long Measure _. 100 
 
 Lumber, Weight of, per foot _ 102 
 
 Landing Net, Staff of _ 114 
 
 Momentum _ loi 
 
 Mallard and Black Duck, description, habits, etc 82- 84 
 
 Mallard and Black Duck, charge, and how to hold 84 
 
 Mensuration __ _ _. gg 
 
 Number and Diameter of Shot-. _ - 54 
 
 " Odds and Ends"- ___ _ loi. 102 
 
 Pulley lot 
 
 Pintail, description, habits, etc 87, 88 
 
 Pintail, charge, and how to hold __ 88 
 
 Red-Head, description, habits, etc g4, g5 
 
 Red-Head, charge, etc 95 
 
 Shells, Metallic and Paper, Difference _. 18 
 
 Shells, why Metallic make the best Pattern _ 18 
 
 Shells should Fill the Chamber 19 
 
 Shells, Paper, why not equal to Metallic ig 
 
 Signs and Constants used in calculations 49- 53 
 
 Sound, Velocity of _ _ g8 
 
 Shot, Falling 50 
 
 Shot, Ascending __. 51 
 
 Shot, Size, Diameter and Number 54 
 
 Shot, Velocity, Effect, Distance and Time _ 56- 62 
 
 Shot, Average Velocity at 40 yards 63 
 
 Shot, Projection and Effect, etc 64- 76 
 
 Shoveler, description, habits, etc -- 90 
 
 Song of the Old Fisherman - no 
 
 Solid Measure -. gg 
 
 Square Measure -- 100 
 
 Trapping — 103 
 
 Trapping, Fox _ _ -- 104- 107 
 
 Trapping, Mink, Marten and Coon _ _ 107-109 
 
 Trout and Salmon, Weights of, as cubes of lengths 135 
 
 Trout Fishing, getting read)' -.. -.111, 112 
 
 Trout Fishing, trial cast, when and how ._- 112 
 
 Trout Flies, how to make, 132 
 
 Trout Flies, materials, tools, etc. , for making --- 131 
 
 Trout Flies, best for each month ---I32, I33 
 
 Trout Flies, "Taking" I33. I34 
 
10 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Trout, How to Cook _ --- 114 
 
 Trout, How they Take the Fly. - 124- 127 
 
 Trout, Rapid Growth of 114 
 
 Trout, Spawning Season of 114 
 
 Trout, Weights of, according to length 134 
 
 Trial Trip for Trout by G. Snooks 115- 121 
 
 "Tank ■' and contents for sportsmen 20 
 
 Wing Shooting — guess work _ 47 
 
 Wood or Summer Duck, description, habits, etc. _. 85 
 
 Wood or Summer Duck, charge, and how to shoot 85 
 
 Widgeon, description, habits, etc 88, 8g 
 
 Wind, Force of gg 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 LAYING THE CORNER STONE. 
 
 IN all ages of the world, in all climes and countries, by all 
 nations and peoples, civilized or savage, saint or sinner, 
 the pursuit oi game and game fish, for food or pleasure, has 
 been marked and more or less notorious. From Nimrod, " the 
 mighty hunter before the Lord," down to the time of David 
 Crockett, Daniel Boone and their compeers of to-day, the fame 
 of the hunter, his cunning, skill and prowess, run parallel with 
 the glory and honors of the most renowned warriors. It was a 
 great honor to be a "mighty hunter before the Lord," and 
 to-day the skilled hunter has an admiring and enthusiastic 
 following. 
 
 Boys love to listen to their father as they recount by the 
 fireside their sharp adventures and "hair-breadth escapes" in 
 the excitements of the chase in " early times ;" the capture of 
 a bear in the big swamp, a deer at the salt lick, a wolf near 
 the sheep fold, or a catamount in the act of springing from a 
 tree ; and while their eyes sparkle with pride and pleasure, they 
 pray to be men that they may go and do likewise. And it is 
 because it will make men of them ; vigorous, active, keen eyed 
 vigilant, thoughtful men, that the good and great have so uni- 
 formly patronized and fostered the sports of the field and stream. 
 To this end game laws have been enacted and enforced in most 
 of the civilized countries, to guard against the untimely de- 
 struction %id the indiscriminate slaughter of game and food 
 fish, out of season. 
 
 In England, from the Norman conquest to the present day, 
 such laws, in some instances more in the interests of the kings 
 
12 
 
 and lordly land-holders than for the wholesome protection of, 
 game, have been spread upon the statute book; and in th^ 
 country, after the game in many localties had been nearly ex- 
 terminated, the people tardily awoke to the necessity of pro- 
 tection, or of seeing its speedy depletion. All animals i^fere 
 natura,) by common law belong to the lucky capturer, and not 
 only in law-abiding England, but in this free and enlightened 
 country, the conflict between the " granger," and the pot-hunter 
 has been lively and persistent. But now, and for several years 
 past, a more exalted policy has prevailed, and the people them- 
 selves have taken the matter in hand ; formed numerous sporting 
 clubs ; secured the passage in nearly all the States of stringent 
 and effective game laws, and have shown a worthy and laudable 
 disposition to yield a part of their private rights to the public 
 good. Co-operating with them in this unselfish and noble 
 work, it would be injustice not to affirm that those ably edited 
 journals, the Chicago Field, in the West, and the Forest and 
 Stream, in the East, have been potent and effective instruments 
 in elevating the sportsmen and protecting their game. 
 
 Intimately blended with field sports are the more quiet and 
 genial amusements of the angler. The devotees of this art 
 (for angling is an art) are wide spread and cosmopolitan. The 
 rich and the poor, the wise and the simple, the statesman and 
 the humble laborer, have each and all, from time immemorial, 
 " cast their lines in pleasant places," for pleasure, for profit, for 
 pastime and food. 
 
 A fool and a knave could never become a professional 
 angler. The contact of the angler with nature and with 
 nature's God would be too much for them. Hence, it is not so 
 very remarkable that the Savior of this wicked world should 
 have selected four of his disciples (Peter, Andrew, James and 
 John,) out of the twelve commissioned by Him to speak the 
 news of salvation, and of " peace on earth and good will to 
 men," from amongst those professional fishermen who "cast 
 their nets into the sea." 
 
13 
 
 Most boys as naturally take to the rod and gun as young 
 ducks to the water. Encourage them in this if you would instil 
 into their minds self-respect, self-confidence, and an ardent love 
 of nature; and develop in their young muscles such vigor and 
 endurance as will enable them to defend themselves and their 
 country in battle ; and in peace, to drive the hungry wolf from 
 their doors. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE WORKING TOOLS OF THE CRAFT. 
 
 BOWS and arrows, crossbows, spears, and even darts and 
 slings were the primitive implements of the chase. Kim- 
 rod, that " mighty hunter before the Lord," probably 
 achieved his renown with the bow and arrow. The sport, the 
 excitement, the skill, success and glory were the same then as 
 now. What then have we gained by the wonderful inven- 
 tions in use at the present age ? If we can kill more and 
 do it quicker now than then, will not the time come all the 
 sooner when we will have nothing left to kill ? The whole world 
 teemed with game before gunpowder was discovered. Since 
 then the march of civilization and the invention of skilled in- 
 struments of destruction, have made stringent game laws 
 necessary to guard against the probability of total extinction. 
 It behooves us to see to it that protective game laws keep pace 
 with the inventions of destruction. The rifle and shot gun, 
 vastly improved since the first discovery of the bungling match 
 lock by the Italians, some time about the year 1430, are now 
 almost the only weapons used by sportsmen in the pursuit of 
 game. 
 
 Great ingenuity and skill have been expended in perfecting 
 the breech-loading rifles and shot guns now in use. They appear 
 to be almost faultless. Everybody owning a first-class double- 
 barreled Dougal, Greener, Parker Bros., Wesley Richards, 
 Remington, Nichols, LaFevre, Baker, Snyder, Scott & Son, &c., 
 honestly believes he happens to have the " best gun in the 
 world." This is strong proof of the proficiency of all these 
 manufacturers, all having their ardent admirers ; and each ad- 
 mirer, as he hears the " splash," " splash," of his double shot, 
 and retrieves his two canvas-backs, pats his favorite, and with 
 
15 
 
 a smiling countenance soliloquizes : " O, yes ; they can all 
 beat old 'Betsey' .'" 
 
 In selecting any of these guns, the first inquiry is : What 
 do you want it for ? If for deer, turkeys, wild geese and open 
 water ducks, an eight and one-half to nine pound ten-gauge gun 
 will do the business. Barrels should be from thirty to thirty-two 
 inches long. 
 
 Many would perhaps recommend a much larger bore and a 
 heavier gun for such game, but it should be borne in mind that 
 the projection and penetration of shot does not depend upon the 
 size of the bore, but upon the initial velocity and the diameter 
 of the shot ; hence, the initial velocity being given, say at two 
 thousand feet per second, the same size shot will be projected 
 from a sixteen or twenty gauge gun just as far as from one of ten 
 or eight or six calibre. It is true you can obtain greater velocity 
 with less perceptible recoil with a large and heavy gun than with 
 a light and smaller one, and you can use more shot, be more 
 likely to hit, and as your pattern will be better, having more 
 shot to distribute, more liable to kill. 
 
 Should you want a gun almost exclusively for field shooting, 
 for partridge, quail, woodcock, snipe, rail, plover, &c., you will 
 find twelve A. seven and three-quarter pound, or a twelve B. 
 seven and a half pound, breech-loader, about the right thing to 
 have. For a gun of all work, marsh ducks, pigeons, trap 
 shooting, prairie chicken, (pi^i^ated grouse,) rabbits, etc., a 
 ten gauge thirty inch, eight and a quarter pound breech loader, 
 will be liable to give great satisfaction and a good bag. But yet 
 many, especially the English sportsmen, will prefer a twelve A. 
 thirty inch seven, and three-quarters to eight pounds gun for 
 general use. Either will do, and " you pays your money and 
 you takes your choice," not forgetting that a first-class gun is the 
 cheapest in the end. 
 
 For woodcock, snipe, plover, quail, ruffed grouse and rail, 
 the twenty, sixteen or twelve B. gauge will do good execution in 
 good hands, and lighten the weight on your shoulders of both 
 gun and ammunition. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 MORE ABOUT THE "TOOLS." 
 
 HAVING selected a gun to suit you, the outiiff is the next 
 step. Herein is big room for difference in fancy and 
 opinion. It is safe to say that no two sportsmen will 
 have the same kind and quality of outfit. Convenience and 
 the adaptation of means to the ends aimed at, should govern 
 the selection of "hunting traps," especially when there is no 
 necessary restraint on the purse-strings. 
 
 The whole outMg of a " native,' ' barring his gun, would hardly 
 sell for "powder enough to blow her up," and yet his bag of 
 game will, generally compare favorably with the average sports- 
 man encumbered with the most gorgeous trappings. A medium 
 covering all conveniences and necessities should be sought for, 
 adapted, with a little common sense, to the season, locality and 
 game. 
 
 For deer — still hunting — the following will be found very 
 well adapted to the business : Coat, pantaloons, vest and cap 
 of dark, gray woolen, as near the color of the average trees as 
 possible. Shoe-pack^or moccasins on your feet, a belt with a 
 tomahawk and scalping-knife hanging tp Kather sheaths; capa- 
 cious pockets in the coat for carrying a light lunch, six feet of 
 small cord, matches, court-plaster, small flask of whisky, (incase 
 of an accident, or a bite from a rattlesnake,) and plenty of 
 cartridges for the da)-'s hunt. 
 
 For ordinary field shooting, a light canvas hunting-coat, with 
 game pockets all around and openings for inserting the game in 
 the breast, and outside pockets behind for cartridges, will not be 
 much to brag of for st}-le, but will be comfortable, and burs will 
 not stick to it. Pantaloons of "Windsor cord, a cartridge vest, 
 
1? 
 
 and laced shoes or leather top boots. Long rubber boots may 
 be used in wet weather or when there is snow. 
 
 For snipe, woodcock, rail or marsh duck shooting, without a 
 boat, as this is usually in warm weather, try a light linen coat 
 with game pockets, but without sleeves ; use a cartridge vest with 
 sleeves, duck pantaloons, and rubber long boots, or high laced 
 leather shoes. 
 
 For open water ducks, a light galvanized iron " Bond Boat," 
 or one of wood as follows : Extreme length, sixteen feet from 
 stern to stern, sharp at both ends ; length of bottom, thirteen 
 and one-half feet ; width of bottom, twenty-two to twenty-four 
 inches ; thickness, one and one-eighth inches ; width on top, 
 twenty-six to twenty, eight inches at the widest place ; sheer, 
 one and one-half inches ; depth in centre, ten inches ; garboard 
 streak, four inches wide, and laid nearly flat if the bottom be 
 twenty-two inches, but if twenty-four inches, not quite so flat. 
 The two next streaks to flare, so as to give the proper width to 
 the boat, of twenty-six to twenty eight inches from gunwale to 
 gunwale. In order to trim the boat well and propel it easier, 
 set your rowing thwart or seat four inches towards the stern from 
 the center of the boat. This thwart should be in such a boat 
 seven and one-half inches from the bottom, and seven to ten 
 inches wide. Seven feet and one-half ash oars are the best, used 
 in open " C " rowlocks. Bond's new patent is recommended, 
 fitted into out-riggers, which should extend outwards about five 
 and one-half inches each, and project above the sea^ seven to 
 eight inches. Such a boat, made of material, for instance : The 
 bottom of clear white pine, and the sides white cedar ; linwood, 
 spruce or white pine not more than one-half inch in thickness, 
 decked over flush at the bow about twenty-six inches, with a 
 convenient locker, and at the stern about eighteen inches flush 
 with the top, with rests for yonr guns and such other arrange- 
 ments as convenience and experience may dictate, can be used 
 singly or with a skilled punter, shot from, in the open water, 
 and with careful handling will be pretty safe in a rough sea. 
 
18 
 
 The galvanized iron " Bond Boat " is double, breaking off in 
 the centre for easy transportation, one part snugly fitting into 
 the other, is a little lighter than one of wood of the above 
 pattern, weighing from seventy-five to ninety pounds, and of 
 about the same capacity and dimensions. A pole-paddle made 
 of clear spruce, linwood or ash, (the end of the blade tipped 
 with brass or iron,) about nine feet long, paddle-blade twenty to 
 twenty-four inches long and four and a'half to five inches wide, 
 pole, round, one inch in diameter at the blade, tapering thence 
 about three feet to one and a quarter inches, then gradually 
 tapering smaller to the end to about seven-eighth of an inch, on 
 which end a hardwood knob one and three quarter inches in 
 diameter should be securely fastened, to prevent the pole from 
 slipping out of your hands while poling your boat over muddy 
 bottoms. Your equipment will be more complete if you have 
 also a light canoe paddle made of cedar, spruce or pine. How 
 to make and use a "blind," will be given in a chapter on duck 
 shooting. 
 
 Two or three hundred nickel-plated, solid anvil Union 
 metallic shells will be sufficient for one gun, under ordinary 
 circumstances, and with a little care will serve you faithfully 
 many years. Experiments have shown that the " pattern ' ' from 
 the metallic shell ranges from ten to twenty five per cent, better 
 than from the paper shell, and the " penetration " slightly in 
 its favor also. Why it is so may be difficult to explain satisfac- 
 torily. It may be that the metallic shells fill up the chamber 
 more perfectly, and that the whole charge — wads and shot — 
 pass evenly and smoothly out of the shells and through the 
 barrel, resulting, uniformly, in as good a pattern as the barrels 
 of the gun are capable of making. Whereas, some paper shells 
 may be shorter and others longer than the chambers of the gun. 
 If shorter, as the chamber is larger than the true calibre, there 
 will be a space between the end of the paper shell and the be- 
 ginning of the true bore, larger than the bore of the shell by 
 twice its thickness, and also about that amount larger than the 
 
19 
 
 true bore of the gun. Now, when the charge of shot passes this 
 space, although it may not exceed one-fourth of an inch, it will 
 instantly expand to fill up that space, and then instantly contract 
 again in entering the true bore, caused by the immense pressure 
 of the expanded powder. This will tend to give a lateral 
 motion to the shot, they caroming more or less against each 
 other and against the sides of the barrel, so that when they 
 leave the muzzle they are not all traveling in a true line parallel 
 to the sides of the bore, but retain the influence of the lateral 
 motion given them by the sudden expansion and contraction 
 above described, which results in more or less deviation from a 
 right line, and thus the disturbed and flying shot strike more or 
 less wide of the mark. If the shells are longer than the chamber 
 there is an increased recoil caused by the contraction of that 
 part of the cartridge reaching into the bore beyond the chamber 
 smaller than the outside diameter of the shell, and also the same 
 tendency to carom and scatter, but it may be not quite so much. 
 Metallic shells, too short or too long, produce a similar effect, 
 but as they are so much thinner the scattering effect is not so 
 great. But whether the shells are metallic or paper they should 
 invariably exactly fit the chamber to ensure the best pattern of 
 which the barrels are capable. 
 
 It looks reasonable that if the slight contraction which con- 
 stitutes, the choke bore have such a pronounced influence in 
 concentrating the shot, the contraction and expansion twice the 
 thickness of a paper — nearly the thirty-second part of an inch — 
 ought to produce a marked deviation from a straight line, and 
 this may account for some mysterious bad patterns frequently 
 made by guns known to be good. 
 
 Paper shells for field shooting are very convenient, and no 
 matter what the difference in pattern may be between them and 
 the metallic shells, will be largely used by sportsmen for many 
 good reasons ; but it is pretty safe to say that the metallic shells 
 will produce uniformly the best results. Another reason for 
 this is : You are obliged to use a smaller wad over both powder 
 
20 
 
 and shot in a paper shell, or it will so bulge it that it will not 
 enter the chamber. These smaller wads are more or less injured 
 in tearing open the crimping, and when they enter the bore of 
 the gun there may be windage, and force, and accuracy lost by 
 the imperfection and smallness of the wads. A wad two sizes 
 larger than the bore has been generally recommanded by gun 
 makers. The reasons for this are readily seen, and they appear 
 all the more forcible from the fact that in shooting up, shot have 
 frequently been left in the gun, when thin, too small, or imper- 
 fect wads have been used in loading. 
 
 There are a great variety of "traps" in the sportsman's 
 " tank," many of which are more convenient than indispensable. 
 Jointed and unjointed wiping rods, with the wire, brush and 
 flannel cleaners, extracters, cappers and uncappers, oil vial, 
 match safe and screw driver, machine for removing exploded 
 caps, which the ordinary uncapper punches a hole through, awls, 
 nippers, and a light hammer, single loaders, and boxes devised 
 for loading from twenty-five to one hundred shells. Some of 
 these devices are so arranged that from fifty to one hundred 
 shells can be loaded at once, and can be found at any of the 
 principal gun stores. Others, which are very convenient and 
 less expensive, may be made by a'ny sportsman, as follows : 
 
 Select two pieces of black walnut about fifteen inches long, 
 one should be about one and a-half inches thick, and the other 
 one inch, and seven inches wide for a ten gauge shell-loading 
 box. In the centre of the one and a-half inch plank, lay out 
 twenty-five squares one inch square exactly. Draw diagonal 
 lines through these squares so as to have them cross exactly in 
 the centre of each. Then with an extension bit set exactly to 
 the proper size, or with a common auger or bit of the same size, 
 if it can be found, bore the holes in the twenty-five squares, five 
 in each row, a trifle larger than the ten A. metallic shell, being 
 careful to have every hole perfectly true. Lay this, after the 
 holes are bored, on the inch board, and secure them with a screw 
 near each end ; then insert the same bit in each hole and turn 
 
21 
 
 it sufficiently to mark with the screw of the bit the centre 
 of the holes to be bored in the inch board, a trifle more 
 than the thickness of the shell, smaller than those in the one and 
 a-half inch plank, so that when you insert the shells in the plank 
 holes, the shoulder formed by the smaller holes will stop the 
 shells there. Then, having placed the two together and again 
 inserted the two end screws used in holding the two pieces to- 
 gether while marking the centres of the smaller holes, lay out 
 the exact size you want your loader box ; put two screws in each- 
 end, or rather one in each corner, to hold the two pieces firmly 
 together, and then saw off the outside waste timber, leaving the 
 box the size desired after planing, trimming and ornamenting to 
 your taste. The reason for using so much timber is to avoid 
 splitting while boring so many holes. Rim out the mouths of 
 the smaller holes now, so as to insert the wads easily. The shells 
 when inserted up to the shoulder will project out from the one 
 and a half inch plank, so as to be readily pulled out and handled. 
 Make a cover of one-half inch walnut, hang it on hinges so it 
 will set down pretty snug on the shells and hold them in their 
 places, fastening the cover with a brass hook and eye. Mark 
 the places where the caps or primers on the shell come in con- 
 tact with the cover by putting a little chalk or printer's ink on 
 the primers of the inserted shells ; then with a counter-sink bit, 
 rim out the places marked, so as to prevent the caps coming in 
 contact with the cover when loading and ramming the wads 
 home, and thus guard against a possible accident. Care should 
 be taken to have the plunger for driving the wads perfectly true, 
 and but little smaller than the gauge, sending the wads down 
 over the powder and shot always exactly level. This will save 
 you many a miss which you would erroneously lay to yourself or 
 gun, when it is because the wads are angling instead of being 
 perfectly horizontal. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 POWDER. 
 
 BY referring to the very interesting article on gunpowder in 
 the Encyclopedia Britannica (from which the principal 
 facts following are drawn) it will be found that it was 
 invented at a very remote period, probably as early as 355 years 
 before Christ. The ingredients were the same then as now, 
 substantially ; but as they did not seem to have discovered the 
 proper chemical mixture of the ingredients, it had but little 
 power, and for hundreds of years was only used for squibs and 
 toys. It appears to have been discovered in India first. It was 
 known in China as early as A. D. 85 ; in Arabia in 1249, and in 
 England, discovered by Roger Bacon in 1269, and first used in 
 cannon in 1312. But popularly, its invention in such propor- 
 tions as to be practically useful, is ascribed to Schwartz and 
 Bacon — Barthold Schwartz, a German monk and alchemist, in 
 A. D. 1320 ; Roger Bacon in 1269. 
 
 From this time on to the present day great improvements 
 have been made in the quality of gunpowder and the appliances 
 for using it. 
 
 Its strength is established by the quality and proportions of 
 its ingredients. The following are the proportions now prin- 
 cipally used for sporting gunpowder in the several countries 
 named : 
 
 
 Nitre, 
 per cent. 
 
 Sulphur, 
 per cent. 
 
 Charcoal, 
 per rent. 
 
 France 
 
 76.9 
 
 75- 
 
 "■ „ 
 73.78 
 
 72- 
 
 75.7 
 
 9.6 
 12.5 
 
 12.63 
 16. 
 
 9-9 
 
 13.5 
 
 United States 
 
 Prussia . _ 
 
 12.5 
 
 13-5 
 
 13-59 
 
 17- 
 
 144 
 
 Russia .- .__ __ . 
 
 Austria . .. . 
 
 China _ ._.-_. 
 
 
23 
 
 Gunpowder ignites at a temperature of 600 deg. Fahr., and 
 is said to expand more than 2,000 times the bulk of the solid. 
 Powder is not solid, but in grains of various sizes; and as different 
 sizes occupy different spaces, it follows that " the same measure 
 which contains 172 grains of the small size, contains 180 of the 
 medium, and 195 of the large. If powder be measured instead 
 of weighed there will be one-ninth more of the large than of the 
 small grained in a given charge. If weighed, the larger will 
 occupy about one-ninth less space ; in either case the greater 
 force will be excited by the larger grained, presuming that the 
 inflammation is perfect. The force of " expanding fluid is in a 
 certain inverse ratio of the space in which it is contained," 
 
 It is pretty clear then that powder should be weighed and 
 not measured, and of such a size that all will be perfectly burned, 
 to ensure the greatest force and the most uniform results in a 
 given quantity. 
 
 The Ency. Brit, gives the following "gaseous results of 
 analysis : Carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, nitrogen and sulphure- 
 ous acid, while the residue consists of carbonate and sulphate of 
 potash, sulphate of potassium and charcoal. The maximum 
 gaseous volume is produced by the formation of carbonic oxide 
 and sulphureous acid with the liberation of nitrogen. With one 
 equivalent of nitre, one of sulphur and three of charcoal, the 
 nitre yields five proportionals of oxygen, of which three, com- 
 bined with three of charcoal furnishes three of carbonic oxide 
 gas, and the remaining two convert one of sulphur into sulphureous 
 acid gas, and the single proportion of nitrogen is disengaged 
 alone. Hence, the gaseous volume produced by 130 grains of 
 gunpowder equals in bulk to 75.5 grains of water, or three-tenths 
 of a cubic inch, will, at atmospheric temperature, be as follows : 
 
 Grains. Cubic Inches. 
 
 Carbonic Oxide 42 141-6 
 
 Sulphureous Acid.- 32 47-2 
 
 Nitrogen..- - I4 47-4 
 
 236.2 
 Being an expansion of one volume in 787.3. 
 
24 
 
 But as the temperature of the gas at the moment of formation 
 must be incandescent, its volume must be estimated at three 
 times the above amount = 2261.9, or considerably more than 
 2,000 times the bulk of the solid. Smoke of gunpowder : The sul- 
 phant of potassium, on coming into contact with the air, becomes 
 converted into sulphate of potash, thus giving rise to the white 
 smoke that follows the explosion of gunpowder. ' ' 
 
 Having ascertained or assumed the velocity such expansion 
 of powder will give to a projectile ofa given weight and diameter, 
 and having agreed upon the distance, the quantity and size ©f 
 powder, the quantity and size of shot and the size of the target, 
 sportsmen can aggregate and average all their experiments in 
 target shooting, and finally arrive at a close estimate of what 
 constitutes the best charge to insure the Best penetration and 
 pattern with first-class guns of the same gauge. {^Noie. — A 
 mixture of two-third coarse and one-third fine of sporting powder 
 has, on repeated trials, been found to give the best penetration 
 and pattern.) 
 
 One difficulty in the way now is that powder manufacturers 
 do not all grade and number the quality and sizes of their powder 
 alike. 
 
 This unhappy diversity may be seen by reference to the fol- 
 lowing schedules of some of the principal powder manufacturers 
 in the United States : (Tht finest grain reads first.^ 
 
 Dupont's FFFG, FFG and FG. 
 
 Dupont's Diamond Grain, Nos. 3, 2 and I. 
 
 Hazard's FFFG, FFG. 
 
 Hazard's Ducking, Nos. i, 2, 3 and 4. 
 
 Austin's Rifle, EFG, FFFG, FFG, FG. 
 
 Austin's Club Sporting, FFFG, FFG and ECG. 
 
 Austin's Cliampion Ducking, Nos. 3, 2, I and o. 
 
 Oriental, Nos. i, 2, 3 and 4. 
 
 Orange, FFFG, FFG, FG and O, (very coarse.) 
 
 Warren Powder Jlills ; office, Boston, Mass. 
 
 Warren Continental Game Size, Nos. i, 2 and 3. 
 
 Warren Border Rifle Size, Nos. i, 2, 3, 4 and 5. 
 
25 
 
 Warren Rifle Grain Size, Nos. 3, 4 and 5. 
 Warren Snap Shot Ducking Size, Nos. i, 2 and 3. 
 Warren Boston Sporting Size, Nos. i, 2, 3, 4 and 5. 
 Warren Blasting Powder, Size F, FF, FFF, 4F and 5F. 
 English Powders number from l fine to 6 coarse, it is said uniformly. 
 
 Dupont's and Austin's Diamond grains are numbered just 
 the reverse of all the others, and are of the size and quality most 
 used by sportsmen. Hence, in reporting target practice it is 
 only confusion and uncertainty to give the number of the powder 
 used, without also giving the name of the maker and his mode 
 of numbering. 
 
 It is to be hoped that the manufacturer^ will get their heads 
 together in the interests of sportsmen and their own, and agree 
 upon a uniform mode of designating the grades of their sporting 
 powder. 
 
 Theory and practice do not always agree in the demonstra- 
 tion of the effect of the quantity, quality and size of grain of 
 powder in targeting guns. It may be that in theory we assume 
 that all powder is totally and alike inflamed, while in practice it 
 has been discovered that all the charge does not always burn, 
 but that many grains, (when the grains are pretty coarse and the 
 charge maximum,) leave the muzzle uninilamed, and instances 
 have occurred of a small charge being gathered on sheets of 
 paper and fired off a second time. . 
 
 It is evident that a solid mass of powder, weighing say four 
 drahms, and fitted to the bore of the gun, when ignited, would 
 burn comparatively slow, but yet enough would burn and expand 
 sufficiently to force the unburnt mass out of the gun. From this 
 extreme it may be reasonably inferred that in a maximum charge, 
 the very fine powder may and probably will burn, while the 
 coarse will not, and as there is an expansion of about 2,000 
 times the bulk, provided the inflammation be perfect ; when, 
 therefore, the inflammation is not perfect in the coarse powder, 
 there must be less expansion, and consequently, less penetration, 
 as there will be less force applied to the projectile. 
 
26 
 
 When a measure or charger is used, the same bulk of coarse 
 powder weighs one-ninth more than fine, it ought to follow then 
 that the extreme charge of coarse powder that will all burn 
 should give greater penetration than the same measured charge 
 of fine. 
 
 In the light of these facts the gun trials, made by the Chicago 
 Field, under the superinendence of Mr. Joseph W. Long ; by 
 the London Field, and by Mr. Greener, and others of experience 
 and skill, who have endeavored to arrive at the most "killing 
 charge ' ' for a given distance, quantity and size of powder, 
 quantity and size of shot and calibre of gun, will be studied 
 by sportsmen with lively interest. Special attention is called to 
 the " Chicago Field Gun Trial," published in the Chicago Field, 
 November 8, 1879, ^o'- ^^2, No. 13, a summary of averages from 
 which is given as follows : 
 
CHICAGO FIELD GUN TRIAL. 
 
 SUMMARY OF AVERAGES. 
 
 Test of Different Charges of Powder* 
 
 20 gauge gun— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattekn. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 4.2 
 4.2 
 5-1 
 
 K. M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 .Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 B. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 8of 
 8i| 
 
 L.B. 
 
 2 dr. 
 2| " 
 
 I oz. 
 I " 
 I " 
 
 119 
 106 
 113 
 
 128 
 138 
 
 120 
 
 lof Hi 
 12^ I3i 
 I3l I3i 
 
 4.1 
 5 I 
 6.0 
 
 77i 
 8o| 
 82J 
 
 16 gauge gun— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pat 
 
 rERN. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.J[. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 Reco 
 
 IL. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 2| dr. 
 
 I oz. 
 I " 
 I " 
 
 119 
 
 120 
 
 118 
 
 169 
 149 
 146 
 
 13 13^ 
 i3f Hi 
 15 14I 
 
 5-1 
 
 5.1 
 51 
 
 5.1 
 5-1 
 6.0 
 
 82i 
 85t 
 89i 
 
 84i 
 86 
 
 89 
 
 * Oriental powder and the Parker Bros, gun were used in these trials. 
 
28 
 
 12 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Chaege. 
 
 Patteen. 
 
 Forge. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoii,. 
 
 Fowder, 
 Ko. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 3 dr. 
 3i " 
 
 4 '■ 
 4i " 
 
 l| " 
 Ij " 
 
 126 
 147 
 134 
 "7 
 
 170 
 170 
 170 
 172 
 
 13* 
 i5| 
 
 '3. 
 
 16 
 
 i6f 
 
 5-1 
 6.0 
 
 5-1 
 4.2 
 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 
 87J 
 92 
 
 96, 
 
 ICO 
 
 86| 
 
 90-1 
 
 94^ 
 
 loif 
 
 10 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.JI. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 4 dr. 
 
 ij oz. 
 
 i-^e 
 
 200 
 
 14^ 
 
 15 
 
 6.0 
 
 6.0 
 
 931 
 
 94! 
 
 4^ ■■ 
 
 li " 
 
 14b 
 
 170 
 
 15 
 
 15^ 
 
 5-1 
 
 6.0 
 
 971 
 
 99l 
 
 5 
 
 Ij " 
 
 157 
 
 191 
 
 16 
 
 16+ 
 
 6.0 
 
 6.0 
 
 I04i 
 
 103 
 
 54 " 
 
 li " 
 
 140 
 
 208 
 
 I6i 
 
 I5» 
 
 6.0 
 
 6.0 
 
 I05i 
 
 1053 
 
 6 " 
 
 H " 
 
 151 
 
 192 
 
 17 
 
 IbJ 
 
 6.0 
 
 9.0 
 
 109 
 
 logi 
 
 6 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel, i One Barrel. 
 
 ! 1 
 
 6 dr. 
 
 7 " 
 
 I V oz. 
 4 " 
 
 182 
 227 
 
 I7f 
 I9f 
 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 125 
 
29 
 
 Test of Different Sizes op Powder. 
 
 20 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Chaeoe. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 
 _2i^dr. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 No, I 
 " 2 
 " 3 
 
 T oz. 
 I " 
 I " 
 
 106 138 
 
 93 104 
 
 105 139 
 
 121 
 
 "1 
 
 13^ 
 
 II 
 
 4 2 
 2.4 
 3-3 
 
 5-1 
 2.4 
 2.4 
 
 8o| 8o| 
 80 78! 
 76 76f 
 
 16 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 K.3I. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 ^dr. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L: B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 No. I 
 " 2 
 " 3 
 
 I oz. 
 
 I " 
 I " 
 
 118 147 
 135 163 
 103 174 
 
 15 I4f 
 15 I4f 
 14 13I 
 
 5.1 
 3-3 
 3.3 
 
 6.0 
 3 3 
 3-3 
 
 8gi 89 
 85 85-1 
 m 83-1 
 
 12 gauge gun— 40 Yards. 
 
 CHARGI5. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 
 4 dr. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 No. t 
 " 2 
 
 " 3 
 
 4 oz. 
 
 134 
 135 
 152 
 
 170 
 167 
 194 
 
 I5i 16 
 143- I4f 
 14 I3| 
 
 5-1 
 3-3 
 3-3 
 
 60 
 3-3 
 3 3 
 
 gSJ 94i 
 94 87J 
 go 88f 
 
30 
 
 lo GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 4Hdr. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 K. B. L. B. 
 
 K. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 No. I 
 
 " 2 
 
 " 3 
 
 i\ oz. 
 
 146 170 
 139 181 
 157 210 
 
 15 I5i 
 I4j 14 
 13 12J 
 
 5-1 
 3-3 
 3 3 
 
 6.0 
 
 3-3 
 3-3 
 
 97f 99I 
 95 9°l 
 
 91T gof 
 
 6 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Chaege. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. K.M. 
 
 Recoii,. 
 
 Powder, 
 6 dr. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 No. I 
 " 3 
 
 ij oz. 
 4 " 
 
 182 
 336 
 
 17I 
 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 
 "71 
 iiif 
 
 Test of Different Charges of Shot. 
 
 20 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No.l. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. . L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 2 dr. 
 2 " 
 2 " 
 
 1 oz. 
 Ij " 
 
 i; " 
 
 119 113 
 103 171 
 150 185 
 
 I2f I2I 
 Ilf "1 
 
 10} 10 
 
 3-3 
 2.4 
 
 3-3 
 
 2.4 
 3-3 
 33 
 
 69! 71 
 
 7ii 71J 
 
 75 75i 
 
31 
 
 i6 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Chasge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 FOKCE. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. T,. B. 
 
 3 dr. 
 3 " 
 
 H'' 
 
 133 166 
 146 162 
 
 14 13} 
 13! 13 
 
 3-3 
 2.4 
 
 3-3 
 33 
 
 Not taken. 
 881- 862 
 
 12 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Chakge. 
 
 Pattekm. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoii.. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. I,. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 3i dr. 
 
 I oz. 
 
 125 160 
 127 174 
 
 15I 16 
 Mi 14} 
 
 3-3. 
 3-3 
 
 3-3 
 3-3 
 
 841- 85 
 89! 89 
 
 10 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pat 
 
 rEKN. 
 
 Force, 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 4ldr. 
 4? " 
 
 4i " 
 
 I oz. 
 1^ " 
 
 149 
 133 
 175 
 
 154 
 149 
 191 
 
 17} 18 
 Ibi I6| 
 
 15} I5f 
 
 3-3 
 3-3 
 2.4 
 
 3-3 
 3-3 
 3-3 
 
 90} 90 
 
 9IC 92 
 99} 100 
 
 6 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. Force. 
 
 K. JI. K. M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 5 dr. 
 
 5 '■ 
 
 ij oz. 
 
 2j '■ 
 
 2S7 
 551 
 
 14^ 
 
 12i 
 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 
 Not taken. 
 
32 
 
 Test of Different Sizes of Shot. 
 
 20 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.JI. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Rec 
 R. B. 
 
 oil.. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Sbnt, 
 1 oz. 
 
 No. 10 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 2|dr. 
 
 319 
 
 341 
 
 4i 
 
 4l 
 
 4.2 
 
 4 2 
 
 77^ 
 
 77 
 
 2^ " 
 
 " 9 
 
 232 
 
 300 
 
 8j 
 
 7V 
 
 4.2 
 
 4 2 
 
 7ti 
 
 77 r 
 
 2| " 
 
 ■' 8 
 
 188 
 
 235 
 
 lOj 
 
 10^ 
 
 42 
 
 4.2 
 
 n\ 
 
 77i 
 
 2? " 
 
 " 7 
 
 106 
 
 I.?8 
 
 12 
 
 I7^ 
 
 13} 
 
 5-1 
 
 6.0 
 
 8i4 
 
 82j 
 
 2| " 
 
 " 6 
 
 89 
 
 95 
 
 16^ 
 
 3-3 
 
 3 3 
 
 7bT 
 
 79 T 
 
 2^ •' 
 
 " 4 
 
 62 
 
 04 
 
 2I' 
 
 21} 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.2 
 
 74 J 
 
 74 J 
 
 2i " 
 
 " 3 
 
 42 
 
 48 
 
 27, 
 
 26| 
 
 2.4 
 
 4.2 
 
 7<>j 
 
 7b 
 
 16 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 1 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 Ko. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 Ku.AWt. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 Ir.b. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 3 di 
 
 
 No.io 
 
 I oz. 
 
 312 
 
 446 
 
 5i 
 
 5t 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.2 
 
 82 
 
 SiJ 
 
 1 ' 
 
 
 " 9 
 
 1 " 
 
 244 
 
 294 
 
 7" 
 
 1\ 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.2 
 
 «4^ 
 
 85 
 
 ■^ ' 
 
 
 " 8 
 
 I ' ' 
 
 I S3 
 
 234 
 
 I of- 
 
 lOj 
 
 4 2 
 
 4.2 
 
 Hit 
 
 81^ 
 
 3 ' 
 
 
 " 7 
 
 I " 
 
 120 
 
 149 
 
 13^ 
 
 MV 
 
 5.1 
 
 5-1 
 
 «5* 
 
 86 
 
 3 ' 
 
 
 ■' 6 
 
 I " 
 
 91 
 
 lot 
 
 18 
 
 18 
 
 3-3 
 
 4.2 
 
 «4f 
 
 85f- 
 
 3 ' 
 
 
 " 4 
 
 ij" 
 
 69 
 
 7b 
 
 23i 
 
 21 r 
 
 2.4 
 
 4-2 
 
 80 
 
 79 
 
 3 ' 
 
 
 " 3 
 
 ^ s 
 
 5b 
 
 59 
 
 29 
 
 28 r 
 
 3-3 
 
 3-2 
 
 79 
 
 78^ 
 
33 
 
 12 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot. 
 No. * Wt. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 LB. 
 
 B.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 B.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 3Wr. 
 
 No. 10 iloz. 
 
 306 
 
 437 
 
 5^ 
 
 Sf 
 
 3-3 
 
 4.2 
 
 88 
 
 88^ 
 
 3i ■' 
 
 " 9 U ■' 
 
 265 
 
 287 
 
 7? 
 
 8. 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.2 
 
 «5i 
 
 85i 
 
 3l " 
 
 ■' 8 1} ■■ 
 
 182 
 
 226 
 
 IO( 
 
 12 
 
 4-2 
 
 4.2 
 
 86| 
 
 8b^ 
 
 3i " 
 
 " 7 i^ " 
 
 147 
 
 170 
 
 14^ 
 
 14.^ 
 
 6,0 
 
 6.0 
 
 92 
 
 got 
 
 3i " 
 
 " 6 n " 
 
 83 
 
 "7 
 
 18^ 
 
 I8i 
 
 3-3 
 
 4.2 
 
 Hbi 
 
 87 
 
 3l " 
 
 " 4 ij " 
 
 58 
 
 95 
 
 22j 
 
 23^ 
 
 3-3 
 
 4.2 
 
 82^ 
 
 82^ 
 
 3j " 
 
 " 3 li " 
 
 57 
 
 85 
 
 28 i 
 
 ^7k 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.2 
 
 84. 
 
 817 
 
 3 J No. 2 
 
 " 2 If " 
 
 52 
 
 5b 
 
 28- 
 
 28 
 
 2.4 
 
 3-3 
 
 82| 
 
 82, 
 
 3i " 
 
 " I i| " 
 
 44 
 
 48 
 
 31 
 
 31 1 
 
 2.4 
 
 2.4 
 
 8i| 
 
 80j 
 
 10 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. JI. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. A Wt. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 B.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 B.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 B.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 4 dr. 
 
 No. 10 ijoz. 
 
 408 
 
 525 
 
 6 
 
 Si 
 
 4.2 
 
 4.2 
 
 93 
 
 93 X 
 
 4 " 
 
 " 9 ij: " 
 
 251 
 
 331 
 
 8 
 
 8^ 
 
 42 
 
 4 2 
 
 93^ 
 
 93 J 
 
 4 " 
 
 " 8 ij " 
 
 216 
 
 283 
 
 II 
 
 11^ 
 
 4.2 
 
 4-2 
 
 92 f 
 
 9ii 
 
 4 " 
 
 " 7 I4: " 
 
 15b 
 
 200 
 
 14^ 
 
 15 
 
 6.0 
 
 60 
 
 93 
 
 94^ 
 
 4 No. 2 
 
 " 6 li " 
 
 93 
 
 139 
 
 i6| 
 
 I7i 
 
 3 3 
 
 42 
 
 '*^ 
 
 86j 
 
 4j " 
 
 " 4 i| " 
 
 83 
 
 101 
 
 22 .i^ 
 
 22 1 
 
 4-2 
 
 4.2 
 
 904 
 
 91? 
 
 4? " 
 
 " 3 li- 
 
 68 
 
 73 
 
 30:f 
 
 31 
 
 4.2 
 
 4 2 
 
 92| 
 
 93 T 
 
 4t " 
 
 " 2 ii " 
 
 48 
 
 68 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 2.4 
 
 2,4 
 
 97i- 
 
 96 
 
 I " 
 
 " I i| " 
 
 &4 
 
 54 
 
 35 
 
 36J 
 
 3-3 
 
 2.4 
 
 903L 
 
 891 
 
 6 GAUGE GUN— 40 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 P,4TTERN. 
 
 Force. K.M. K.m'. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 3. 
 
 Shot, 
 No.&m. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 5 dr. 
 5 " 
 
 5 " 
 
 6 " 
 
 5 " 
 
 No. 8 ijoz. 
 " 7 li " 
 ■■ 4 i| " 
 " 3 If 
 " B If •' 
 
 478 
 287 
 193 
 156 
 93 
 
 lof 
 
 14^ 
 25^ 
 3i| 
 40I 
 
 5 I 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 6,0 
 6.0 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 Ii8f 
 Not taken. 
 
34 
 
 Test of Different Sizes of Shot. 
 
 20 GAUGE GUN— 60 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Eecoh,. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 loz. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 2Hr. 
 
 2i " 
 2^" 
 
 No. 7 
 " 6 
 " 4 
 " 3 
 
 55 
 36 
 20 
 16 
 
 57 
 51 
 30 
 20 
 
 6| 
 9 
 
 18 
 
 7l 
 
 9i 
 
 I4f 
 
 20^ 
 
 1-5 
 
 2.4 
 1-5 
 
 2-4 
 
 2.4 
 
 2.4 
 2.4 
 
 3-3 
 
 Not taken. 
 78 78I 
 76i 76^ 
 76| 76 
 
 16 GAUGE GUN— 60 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. d: Wt. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 3 dr. 
 3 " 
 3 " 
 3 " 
 
 No. 7 I oz. 
 "61" 
 
 " 4 ir' 
 
 " 3 li" 
 
 57 
 44 
 23 
 25 
 
 55 
 50 
 36 
 28 
 
 8 6-1 
 
 lOf IO| 
 
 14^ 16J 
 21 201, 
 
 ^•4 
 3-3 
 1.5 
 3-3 
 
 1-5 
 3-3 
 3-3 
 2.4 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 85j &Si 
 80j 801 
 
 79j 79^ 
 
 12 GAUGE GUN— 60 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil.; 
 
 Powder, 
 No.l. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 4 Wt. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 LB. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. L.B 
 
 3i dr. 
 
 No. 7 ijoz. 
 
 52 
 
 68 
 
 7 
 
 7| 
 
 1-5 
 
 1-5 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 3j " 
 
 " 6 Ij " 
 
 37 
 
 53 
 
 8f 
 i6| 
 
 8| 
 
 1-5 
 
 2.4 
 
 87 86} 
 
 3i " 
 
 " 4 I5 " 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 lOj 
 
 2.4 
 
 2.4 
 
 86| 86| 
 
 si No. 2 
 
 " 3 li " 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 i7i 
 
 20 J 
 
 2.4 
 
 4.2 
 
 83| 82i 
 
 3i " 
 
 " 2 ly '• 
 
 23 
 
 18 
 
 20 
 
 22 
 
 3-3 
 
 1-5 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 3¥ " 
 
 " I Ij " 
 
 19 
 
 20 
 
 21^ 
 
 23^ 
 
 1-5 
 
 1-5 
 
 80 79i 
 
35 
 
 10 GAUGE GUN— 60 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. <4 Wt. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 4l dr. 
 
 No. 7 ijoz. 
 
 56 
 
 no 
 
 8J 
 
 9 
 
 I.? 
 
 3-3 
 
 93} 92 
 
 45 No. 2 
 
 " 6 ij " 
 
 37 
 
 61 
 
 8 
 
 q* 
 
 2.4 
 
 1-5 
 
 94 95i 
 
 4t " 
 
 " 4 ij " 
 
 32 
 
 4b 
 
 i6| 
 
 17I 
 
 4.2 
 
 3.3 
 
 96j 97 
 
 4^ " 
 
 " 3 ij " 
 
 20 
 
 28 
 
 I9t 
 
 19? 
 
 2.4 
 
 2.4 
 
 102 lOOj 
 
 4ir " 
 
 " 2 ij " 
 
 29 
 
 31 
 
 24i 
 22 
 
 25 
 
 1.5 
 
 2.4 
 
 95i 98 
 
 4t " 
 
 " I H " 
 
 26 
 
 30 
 
 24 
 
 2.4 
 
 2.4 
 
 95i 95i 
 
 6 GAUGE GUN— 60 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 3. 
 
 Shot, 
 No.&Wt. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 5 dr. 
 
 6 " 
 
 5 " 
 5 
 
 No. 4 ifoz. 
 
 " 3 It " 
 " 2 l-r " 
 " B li " 
 
 92 
 69 
 
 49 
 43 
 
 I5| 
 22| 
 
 235- 
 29 
 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 6.0 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 Ii5i 
 Not taken. 
 
 Test op Different Sizes of Shot. 
 
 20 GAUGE GUN— 80 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 2}^ dr. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 4. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 No. [ 
 
 I oz. 
 
 12 10 
 
 8 9 
 
 2.4 2.4 
 
 Not taken. 
 
36 
 
 i6 GAUGE GUN— 80 Yards. 
 
 Chaege. 
 
 Patter?.-. 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 FOKCE. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.JI. 
 
 RECOIIi. 
 
 Powder, Shot, 
 No. 1. Xo. A Wt. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 3 dr. Xo. 4 I3 oz. 
 3 " ["31" 
 
 S 14 
 12 13 
 
 S II 
 12 12V 
 
 1-5 
 1-5 
 
 1-5 
 2.4 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 12 GAUGE GUN— 80 Yards. 
 
 CHAitGE. 
 
 Pattees. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.il. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, Shot, 
 No. 1. No.diWt. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 3i dr. 
 3i " 
 3* " 
 31 " 
 
 Xo. 4 i\ oz. 
 
 " 3 li " 
 " 2 ij " 
 
 " I if " 
 
 19 iS 
 
 12 13 
 
 II 15 
 II 13 
 
 9 II 
 8 12 
 12 
 17 
 
 1-5 
 1-5 
 0.6 
 0.6 
 
 1-5 
 0.6 
 0.6 
 0.6 
 
 Xot taken. 
 
 10 GAUGE GUN— 80 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Patteen-. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 RECorL. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 2. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. & Wt. 
 
 E.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 4i dr. 
 
 4l " 
 4i " 
 4i " 
 
 No. 4 ijoz. 
 
 " 3 i-V " 
 •' 2 i\ •• 
 
 " I 4 " 
 
 13 
 13 
 15 
 10 
 
 18 . 
 20 
 
 12 
 13 
 
 I°j 11} 
 I3f I2f 
 
 16 nh 
 
 17 20 
 
 1-5 
 r.5 
 1.5 
 1-5 
 
 3-3 
 24 
 1-5 
 1-5 
 
 Not taken. 
 
37 
 
 6 GAUGE GUN— 80 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 3. 
 
 Shot, 
 l?ioz. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 6 dr. 
 6 " 
 
 No. 3 
 " I 
 
 47 
 33 
 
 I4f 
 20i 
 
 5-1 
 4.2 
 
 1 14 J 
 lo8f 
 
 6 GAUGE GUN— 100 Yards. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 3. 
 
 Shot, 
 IJioz. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 One Barrel. 
 
 5 dr. 
 5 " 
 5 " 
 5 " 
 5 " 
 5 " 
 
 No. 3 
 " 3 
 " 3 
 " 3 
 " 3 
 " 3 
 
 14 
 10 
 
 15 
 
 17 
 
 9 
 
 15 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 ■8 
 
 9 
 9 
 
 8 
 
 K. 
 K. 
 K. 
 M. 
 M. 
 K. 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 METALLIC vs. PAPER SHELLS. 
 
 NO. 7 SHOT, 40 YARDS— 10 GAUGE GUN. 
 
 STRAIGHT PAPER SHELLS. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 'R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 I.. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 4^ dr. 
 
 ij oz. 
 
 159 20g 
 
 i5i 15 
 
 4.2 
 
 4,2 
 
 Not taken. 
 
38 
 
 CRIMPED PAPER SHELLS. 
 
 Chaege. 
 
 Patteen. 
 
 FOECE. 
 
 K;.M. K.3I. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 ^No**r' I §o°7' ^- ^- ^- ^- ^- ^- L. B. I R. B. L. B. E. B. L. B. 
 
 4^ dr. i\ oz. 141 180 
 
 15 i 4-2 
 
 3-3 
 
 Not taken. 
 
 METALLIC SHELLS. 
 
 Chaege. 
 
 Force. K.M. K.M. EECorL. 
 
 ■^Xo'T'' §^"7 ^•^- ^-^^ ^^- ^•^- ^^- L.B. 'b.B. L.B. 
 
 4J dr. i| oz. 181 208 15I 
 
 I5i 4-2 
 
 42 Xot taken. 
 
 NO. 3 SHOT— 60 YARDS. 
 
 STRAIGHT PAPER SHELLS. 
 
 Cttahge. 
 
 Patteek. 
 
 FOECE. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Eecoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 X0.2. 
 
 Shot, 
 Xo. 3. 
 
 B, B. L. B. 
 
 E. B. L. B. 
 
 R.B; 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 4idr. 
 
 ij oz. 
 
 30 2S 
 
 i I9t 191 
 
 . 2.4 
 
 2-4 
 
 102 loof 
 
 METALLIC SHELLS. 
 
 Chaege. 
 
 P.4.TTEE>". 
 
 FOECE. 
 
 K. M. K. M. Eecoed. 
 
 ^yTl""' iro°3. il^B. L.B. F.B. L.B. ;e.B. I.B. 
 
 E. B. L. B. 
 
 4} dr. iV oz. 41 40 24 2i| 3.3 
 
 4.2 lOI 
 
39 
 
 Test of Different Makes of Powder. 
 
 12 GAUGE GUN— 40 YARDS. 
 
 DUPONT'S DIAMOND GRAIN NO. 2. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K. M. 
 
 Recoii.. 
 
 Powder, 
 
 . No. 2. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 3 dr.i 
 
 I^ oz. 
 
 114 130 
 
 I3i I3i 
 
 2.4 
 
 3-3 
 
 88| 85I 
 
 AMERICAN TELEGRAPH NO. 3. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 3. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. I,. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 3idT. 
 
 i| oz. 
 
 115 175 
 
 12 12J 
 
 3-3 
 
 3-3 
 
 81^ 8o|- 
 
 ORIENTAL DIAMOND GRAIN NO. 1. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 Force, 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 1. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 R. B. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 3Wr. 
 
 i; oz. 
 
 100 141 
 
 I3| I4f 
 
 2-4 
 
 4.2 
 
 85 86f 
 
40 
 
 CURTIS & HARVEY DIAMOND GRAIN NO. 4. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 Patteejs. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.il. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 4. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 n. B. L. B. 
 
 n. E. 
 
 L. B. 
 
 n. B. 
 
 3-3 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 3l dr. il oz. 
 
 112 146 
 
 I4i 
 
 14 
 
 4-2 
 
 gol 8Si 
 
 LAFLIN & RAND ORANGE LIGHTNING NO. 5. 
 
 Chaege. 
 
 Patterx. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K. M. K. M. 
 
 Recoii.. 
 
 Powder, Shot, jj g j^ g p^ g L B. , R. B. L. B. R. B. L. B. 
 
 116 
 
 157 13/ I4j ' 3-3 
 
 4-2 : 
 
 
 HAZARD ELECTRIC NO. 4. 
 
 Charge. 
 
 PATTER^-. 
 
 Force. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 K.M. 
 
 Recoil. 
 
 Powder, 
 No. 4. 
 
 Shot, 
 No. 7. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 L.B. 
 
 R.B. 
 
 3-3 
 
 L. B. 
 
 4 2 
 
 R. B. L. B. 
 
 3idr- 
 
 il oz. 
 
 121 
 
 160 
 
 12} 
 
 I4i 
 
 90 Sg 
 
 EXPLANATIONS. 
 
 Po^v^3ER. — In all cases, except when otherwise mentioned, 
 the No. I Diamond Grain Oriental Powder was used. 
 
 Pattern. — The "pattern" shows the number of pellets in a 
 30-inch circle, with a life-size tracing of a duck or a pigeon in 
 the centre. 
 
 The Letters K. and M. — They are intended to indicate 
 respectively whether struck in such a wa\- as would insure a kill 
 or a miss, ^^'ith small shot, up to No. 6 inclusive, the pigeon 
 was usedj with larger shot, the duck, representing a red-head. 
 
41 
 
 The figures used under " K " and " M," show the number ofhits 
 that would kill, in trials from one to six. The misses are only 
 given when six trials were made. 
 
 Force. — This is indicated by the number of firm straw-board 
 sheets of uniform texture and thickness penetrated, (probably 
 No. 60, but the thickness is not given,) and arranged three-fourths 
 of an inch apart, and held upright and firm by a slotted rack. 
 
 R. B. AND L. B. — Right and Left Barrels. The right barrel 
 choked very slightly and the left very strong. 
 
 Recoil. — This was taken by fastening the gun to a hinged 
 slide, free to move only in the line of fire, similar to the device 
 used in the London gun trials. Above the gun, and fastened at 
 one end to the hinged slide and at the other to the frame work 
 of the machine was a spring balance, on the scale of which, 
 smeared with paint, was recorded the distance to which the gun 
 and slide were driven back by the force of the explosion; and 
 when at rest ready to fire, a constant strain of sixty pounds was 
 kept on the balance. 
 
 Fine and Coarse Powder. — In the Chicago Field gun trial, 
 Nos. I to 6 was used, No i being the finest. It is curious to ob- 
 serve that in the No. 6 gauge gun alone, the coarse powder gave 
 superior penetration to the fine. 
 
 To the Chicago Field the sporting fraternity are deeply 
 indebted for the exhaustive and accurate gun trials inaugurated 
 and published by that journal. 
 
 In arriving at the most killing charge, one can hardly over 
 estimate their value. They will, if studied, and their lessons 
 practically applied, save many a black-and-blue shoulder and 
 fill many a bag of the novice hitherto empty. 
 
 Time and labor may be spent profitably in analyzing these 
 tables. The best charge for the gauge of your gun and for the 
 kind of game you propose to shoot, can be arrived at to such a 
 certainty, that you will have but little sympathy in laying your 
 misses to your gun. 
 
42 
 
 The English sportsmen generally use lighter field guns, 
 smaller gauge, and usually charge with coarser powder and more 
 shot than we do here. Mr. Greener gives the following as the 
 most killing charge: 
 
 CHOKE BORE.* 
 
 MOST KILLING CHARGE. 
 
 Gattge 
 
 POWDEE. 
 
 
 Shot. 
 
 
 OF 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dlst'sce 
 
 Gun-. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Yaeds. 
 
 yo. 
 
 !Jsaine. 
 
 Xo. 
 
 Size, 
 
 Weight, 
 
 Bize, 
 
 
 
 Drams. 
 
 No. 
 
 Oz. 
 
 No. 
 
 
 20 
 
 Eng. C. & H. 
 
 2^i 
 
 I or 2 
 
 I to l'^ 
 
 6 
 
 40 
 
 16 
 
 *' 
 
 2?4 
 
 2 
 
 I to i.ig 
 
 6 
 
 40 
 
 12 
 
 " 
 
 3 i0 3l4 
 
 3 
 
 I toijg- 
 
 6 
 
 40 
 
 10 
 
 " 
 
 4 to4>^ 
 
 4 to 6 
 
 I to ii^ 
 
 4 and 6 
 
 40 
 
 5 
 
 
 5 toy 
 
 6 
 
 2 to 2l^ 
 
 I 
 
 40 
 
 12 
 
 C. & H. 
 
 3^t0 3^ 
 
 6 
 
 J 2 to 53 
 
 Q 
 
 30orless 
 
 12 
 
 
 3Kt0 3l4 
 
 6 
 
 ;3 to I 
 
 7 
 
 30 to 45 
 
 12 
 
 " 
 
 3H 
 
 6 
 
 i"^ 
 
 6 
 
 45 to 60 
 
 12 
 
 " 
 
 2}i to 3 
 
 6 
 
 i«toiJ£ 
 
 3 or 4 
 
 60 to CO 
 
 The principles maintained are that finer powder and shot are 
 best adapted to small gauge, and coarser to larger gauge g^ns, 
 and that the finer the shot, the greater the charge of powder 
 should be in the same gauge to produce the same force at the 
 same distance, (40 yards,) as with coarser shot and less powder, 
 but this cannot really be done. 
 
 Practically this theory has been found to vary in demonstra- 
 tion. You may have a killing charge with 2^ to 3 drams of 
 Xo. 6 powder, and iVi to i}4 oz. of Xo 3 shot, at 60 to 80 
 yards, 12 gauge gun, but the Chicago Fieid trials have demon- 
 strated that 3j4 drams, Xo. i fine powder, and i oz. Xo. 7 shot, 
 or 3j^ drams Xo. 2 powder, and i oz. Xo. 3 shot, 12 gauge gun, 
 will give better penetration and pattern than the Greener charge, 
 better than to increase the charge of shot. 
 
 * Chofce in bore range from L>-l'>>j to ^iS-l'/j ; of an inch. 
 
43 
 
 Dr. J. A. Henshall, of Kentucky has analyzed the Chicago 
 Field gun trials relative to the difference between ten and 
 twelve gauges, in pattern and penetration, with different 
 charges of powder and shot, at 40, 60 and 80 yards, with the 
 following result : 
 
 RELATIVE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TEN AND 
 TWELVE GAUGE GUNS. 
 
 FROM THE CHICAGO FIELD GUN TRIALS. 
 
 By Dr. J. A. Henshall. 
 
 ■-li. 
 
 2 
 
 10 
 12 
 10 
 12 
 10 
 12 
 (10 
 
 2 
 10 
 
 2 
 10 
 
 I ic 
 
 \ 10 
 
 «J3 
 
 <u o 
 
 
 Ofl 
 
 0) 0) 
 
 <1 
 
 150.75 
 
 14.98 
 
 171.00 
 
 15-54 
 
 158,60 
 
 14.69 
 
 167 16 
 
 14.02 
 
 146-50 
 
 15.08 
 
 158.50 
 
 16.55 
 
 150.83 
 
 18.71 
 
 175.6] 
 
 19.68 
 
 34-50 
 
 15-35 
 
 42.16 
 
 16.99 
 
 14.00 
 
 8.62 
 
 14.25 
 
 14.82 
 
 46.00 
 
 47.00 
 
 ToTAi- Averages of the 10 and 12 
 
 Gauges in the Chicago 
 
 Field Tkiai.. 
 
 [■ Different charges of powder, 40 yards. 
 
 a6 00 ' ' '-''ff^''^"' sizes of powder, 40 yaids. 
 
 AAii f Different charges of shot, 40 yards. 
 
 ^ ■■' - Different sizes of sliot, 40 yards. 
 
 '" 1 - Different sizes of shot, 60 yards. 
 20.33 j S 
 
 ' r' i f Different sizes of shot, 80 yards. 
 9.62 I S ' ^ 
 
Pi 
 
 '-"1 
 
 5 
 
 44 
 
 i^ 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 
 X 
 
 
 m^ 
 
 
 
 C/l 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 _; 
 
 X 
 
 P 
 
 u 
 
 M 
 
 Z 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 3 
 
 w 
 
 I 
 
 '-") 
 
 z 
 
 
 'O 
 
 
 O 
 
 u 
 
 > 
 
 z a 
 
 3 
 
 i I i 
 
 < 
 
 •- « v.eo ^ « 
 
 XCO ^,00 NC3 V CO ^ M 
 
 o 
 
 
 7,' 
 
 "■- 
 
 -■ 
 
 «^ 
 
 «' 
 
 ■;," »~ 
 
 ■::.• -■ 
 
 
 
 CXJ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 O 
 
 " 
 
 - 
 
 ' 
 
 " 
 
 ■* 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 -.: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 tl 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ::: 
 
 -' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 w 
 
 i^ 
 
 :^ 
 
 
 
 ::^ 
 
 ■CJ 
 
 :s? 
 
 
 
 en 
 
 en 
 
 -1- 
 
 -T 
 
 en 
 
 -^f en 
 
 T CO 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 
 
 ; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■"■ 
 
 , 
 
 ^ 
 
 CO 
 
 , 
 
 , 
 
 >. 
 
 
 d 
 
 o 
 
 ' 
 
 " 
 
 o 
 
 ' 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 .; 
 
 i: 
 
 •Ti 
 
 
 
 y: 
 
 
 
 
 ~ 
 
 ^i; 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 ■A 
 
 ; 
 
 X 
 
 VL 
 
 ; 
 
 ; ; 
 
 :: ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 '^ 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 c 
 Z 
 
45 
 
 Total average of Coarse, Fine and Mixed Powder, at 3! drams 2i| 
 
 " " Coarse, Fine and Mixed Powder, at 4 drams 24^ 
 
 " " Coarse Powder, at 3J drams 20^^ 
 
 " " Coarse Powder, at 4 drams 21 
 
 " " Fine Powder, at 3i drams 21 
 
 " " Fine Powder, at 4 drams 22 
 
 Total mixed half and half, at 4 drams _ 21 
 
 " " " at 3| drams 23J 
 
 From this and the Chicago gun trials, 3^^ drams of coarse, 
 and 4 drams of fine powder, in a lo-gauge gun, appear to 
 produce the best effect, and may be adopted as the most 
 killing charge, or 3^/^ drams of mixed powder may be preferred. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 VELOCITY, DISTANCE, EFFECT OR FORCE, ETC., OF SHOT, CALCU- 
 LATED BY LEONARD CASE, ESQ. 
 
 THE "conundrum" whether to "hold on" or "hold 
 ahead" has elicited a sharp discussion from a great 
 number of earnest sportsmen, in the principal sporting 
 journals of the day. Facts, experience and some figures were 
 given on both sides, but not enough, or of such a convincing 
 character as to completely settle the question with all and for- 
 ever. It now stands about thus : 
 
 " The side convinced against its will, 
 Is of the same opinion still!" 
 
 That may be the condition of things at the end, but it is 
 hoped that the facts, figures and diagrams, here presented, will 
 make the path to be followed so straight that a " man though a 
 fool, need not err therein." 
 
 It is no matter how it came about, but the fact remains that 
 the late Leonard Case, Esq., several years ago worked out and 
 gave to the writer, so much about the velocity and effect of shot 
 as would by " applied science ' ' in the hands of his friends, ena- 
 ble them to solve the conundrum and settle the question "where 
 to hold." 
 
 The signs, constants, and most of the algebraic formulas and 
 equations used in this work, by Mr. Case, are given. 
 
 The distance, velocity, efifect and time are given at the 
 initial velocity of i,ooo, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 feet per second. 
 The real initial velocity of any two charges would probably 
 never be exactly the same. It varies with the quantity, quality, 
 and size of the powder, and the diameter, density and quantity 
 
41 ' 
 
 of shot, and may range from 400 to 4,000 feet per second, pos- 
 sibly; but maybe estimated at from 1,500 to 2,500 feet per 
 second, at the instant of leaving the muzzle of the gun, for 
 ordinary shooting, and for all practical purposes. 
 
 An ounce ball fired straight up at an initial velocity of 1,000 
 feet per second would be. projected 2,109 ^^^^ ^^ 8.460 seconds, 
 and at 4,000 feet per second initial velocity, 3,859.4 feet up in 
 9.405 seconds of time, the difference in time being only 94-100 
 of a second. 
 
 It may be admitted, then, that the diagrams based upon 2,000 
 feet initial velocity and at the distance projected in one-eighth 
 of a second, will be near enough for a favorable average of 
 success — nearer than you can guess where to hit with an arrow ; 
 and it is safe to say that all shooting at game moving at right 
 angles with the line of fire is guess work. 
 
 The principle object of the following figures and diagrams is 
 to enable the sportsman to always guess right, by giving a true 
 basis for his judgment to work upon. 
 
 The flight of birds is an important element to be considered 
 by the sportsman, in connection with the projection of shot, in 
 judging the point of aim to insure a hit. This has never been 
 correctly ascertained. But even if the ultimate speed of all 
 game birds could be arrived at accurately, it would not, and 
 does not follow that they would always be flying at their great- 
 est speed. We all know that all birds vary their speed under 
 various circumstances, when, for instance, flying against a strong 
 wind, when about to alight, when first starting off, when head- 
 way is gained, when undisturbed near their feeding grounds, 
 sailing and flying around in search of food. 
 
 It has been said that hawks can fly at the rate of 150 miles 
 per hour, ducks 90, sparrows 92, falcons 73, crows 25, wild 
 geese 80. 
 
 But under the head of ducks there are many kinds, and almost 
 as many different rates of speed. While the fat and logy 
 
48 
 
 mallard may sail around at the rate of 40 miles, the muscular 
 canvas-back will steadily sweep by at the rate of 100 miles per 
 hour. The blue-bill and teal are very swift on the wing, while 
 the pintail, widgeon, black duck, and summer or wood duck are 
 a good deal slower. Here again is a big field for the gunner to 
 use his judgment and guess-work. 
 
 Estimated Flight, per Hour, of the following Birds in 
 Full Plumage axd at Greatest Speed. 
 
 Crows from 25 to 
 
 Mallard 
 
 Black Duck,. 
 
 Shoveler 
 
 Pintail 
 
 Wood Duck__ 
 
 Widgeon 
 
 Gadwall . 
 
 40 to 
 40 to 
 40 to 
 50 to 
 55 to 
 60 to 
 60 to 
 
 40 miles. 
 
 50 " 
 
 50 " 
 
 50 " 
 
 60 " 
 
 60 " 
 
 70 " 
 
 70 " 
 
 Red Head from 80 to go miles. 
 
 B. W. Teal.. " 80 to 100 
 
 G. W Teal-. ' 80 to 100 
 
 Blue Bill " 80 to no 
 
 Canvas-Back " 80 to 120 
 
 Sparrow " 40 to 92 
 
 Hawks " 40 to 150 
 
 Geese, wild . " So to 90 
 
 Distanx'e Traveled by Game and Birds at the Rates of 
 Speed Per Hour Named, ix one-eighth of a Second. 
 
 At 
 
 5 
 
 At 
 
 10 
 
 At 
 
 12 
 
 At 
 
 20 
 
 At 
 
 30 
 
 At 
 
 40 
 
 Feet. 
 5 miles per hour. 92 
 
 I. S3 
 
 2.2 
 
 3.66 
 
 - 5-5 
 
 7 33 
 
 Feet. 
 
 -At 60 miles per hour 11.00 
 
 At 80 
 At 90 
 
 .\t TOO 
 
 At 120 
 At 150 
 
 .14 66 
 .16.05 
 
 -1S33 
 .22.00 
 .27.5 
 
 "With these facts fixed in our minds, together with many more 
 that will readily be suggested to the true sportsman, the follow- 
 ing tables and diagrams will be understood and appreciated. 
 
49 
 
 Explanation of the Signs used in the following work. 
 
 U = Velocity of projection. 
 t =^ Time of flight. 
 F = Velocity at the time /. 
 X = Distance at the time i. 
 Tu = Time of falling from greatest height. 
 Vu = Velocity acquired in that fall. 
 e = Base of Naperian logarithm. 
 ff = Force of gravity. 
 
 ^ = Co-efificient of retardation, to be determined 
 by experiment. 
 
 Constants. 
 
 (£ncy. Brit. XI, 144.') K—~ 
 
 r being the semi-diameter of the shot, s the density of the air 
 or medium, / that of the shot, and q a fraction which must be 
 detetmined by experiment, and which, though doubtful, may 
 be assumed as 0.225. 
 
 {Price' s Calc. Ill, jjj and j 6 4.') If we assume a = area of 
 plane face perpendicular to the resisting medium, jP = density 
 of the resisting medium, m = mass of the moving body ; 
 
 Then : ~ = X. 
 m 
 
 {Ency. Brit. XVIII, 66.) The impulse on a sphere is one- 
 half the impulse on its great circle, or on the base of a 
 cylinder of equal diameter; therefore, 
 
 a = ■'^^^^^^'''^' Evidently P =^ s, and 
 2 
 
 . , ,3 , Pa .7854(2^/.? _ .375^ 
 
 ■' "^ ^ ^ m 2x.5236(2r)Y rs 
 
 Therefore ^ = -375 is true if the resistance varies with the 
 
 square of the velocity. But it does not exactly. From 
 
50 
 
 experiments made by Sir Isaac Newton in 1710 and 1719, and 
 discussed by Prof. Loomis (Am. Jour., sec. 1S54,) the most 
 probable value is ^ ^ 0.19135. 
 
 K = 
 
 9-f 
 
 Lead". 
 
 s = - — / = 11.44^ 
 
 810 ^^^ 
 
 By expenment. 
 
 ?= -19135- 
 
 
 
 >'at. Xos. 
 
 s 
 s' 
 
 = 
 
 00.123457 
 
 11-495 
 
 ? 
 
 = 
 
 •19135 
 
 g 
 
 g\ 
 e 
 
 = 
 
 .0004954 
 32.2 
 
 5-66745 
 2.7182818 
 
 log.e 
 180 
 
 : 
 
 0-4342945 
 59° 43' 14" 
 
 liOgarithms. 
 
 3.0915150 
 1. 0586158 
 7.2818285 
 4.6949560 
 
 1-5067755 
 0.7533878 
 0.4342945 
 1.6377830 
 
 1. 7761226 
 
 Falling. 
 
 (I.) V = 
 
 Kkg)y 
 g\^ e — I 
 k] 2 kg \t' 
 
 e +1 
 
 (i 
 
 (i) 
 
 {t = x-) 
 
 w ^ = fU7^1 
 
 g 
 k 
 
 (X=oo) 
 
 kx {kg~)\t 
 
 (3.) 'ie= e + e — {kg)if 
 
 iig-)i/ ^x+ I ikx \ 
 = e _ I _ ij 3 
 
51 
 
 Ascending. 
 
 (5.) V^^u-^e -|(_ ^ 
 
 — kx 
 .'. V= ue nearly. 
 
 (6.) X^-/og. 
 
 (when F= o) 
 
 (8.) X^= ^ log. (i + - u^\ = Distance up, 
 
 (when V =^ o) 
 
 (n") Vu =^ , ^ ^ = Velocity acquired by descent 
 
 
 (/+ T) 
 
 = ( ■f g + ku'' + Z'^^i)-^ tan. « (- I , 
 
 •*.g'i^ ^^ 
 
 ^/ exactly, or 
 
 g (t^T)4kg ^^.... 
 
 k = \^/ nearly. 
 
 *From equations (7) and flO). 
 
52 
 
 Effect. 
 
 Since P or the efTect varies with V^2r, \tt F=i= the effect 
 of No. 8 shot at 6 rods, with initial velocity of 2000 feet per 
 second. Then — 
 
 — kx — 99JC.006305 1 
 
 V=^ ue nearly . V^ 20001? 
 =^ 1071.382 nearly, or using 
 
 2kx k i 2kx\ 
 
 V^=^H-e ^(i — e j F= 1071.234 exactly. 
 
 (Log. V2r= 4,9551508) 
 
 Comparing this with No. 8 shot, at ^ second, with same 
 velocit}-, then — • 
 
 / 757-320' 
 
 \1071.382 
 
 = 0.49966 at 154.38 ft. = 51.46 yds. 
 
 Pexetration. 
 
 {Ency. Brit. XI, 14J.') The penetration of shot, the velocity 
 
 at the point of contact having been determined, might be thus 
 
 2 FV/ 
 expressed: F^ — — , /'being the depth penetrated, v the 
 
 velocity at the instant of striking, r the semi-diameter, / the 
 density of the shot; g= 32.2 feet, the force of gravity, and F, 
 a co-efiicient of resistance to be determined by experiment on 
 various substances. 
 
 AVhen the resisting substance is the same, /'varies rF"V, or 
 when the density of the shot is the same as rV^. 
 
 From Poncelot's h}'pothesis that the resistance of a material 
 
 struck by a shot is proportional to the square of the shot's 
 
 diameter; and from the Gavre experiments, P, in respect to 
 
 value, may be represented by this formula (in English feet): 
 
 ( V^ ) 
 P = 4.61 2rtf, log. -j I H fifi~i \ > <^ representing the specific 
 
53 
 
 gravity of the shot, water being i. For fine earth this may be 
 multiplied by 1.64; for sand and gravel by 1.3; for loose earth, 
 by 3.21; for sound masonry, by 0.41. In the previous formula 
 the specific gravity may also be substituted for the density, when 
 
 it becomes : P = — —— as ;/ = p-/ 
 
 Greatest Effect. 
 
 {^Ency. Brit. XI, 145. ~) Duchemin has given the following 
 
 empirical formula for the charge of greatest effect : 
 
 34^r.o43 . b 
 
 M^--jr, ^, ^3 r 7-j a bemg = —, or the number of times 
 
 (o .0513/ t- V ^j. o ^ 
 
 the calibre is contained in the length of the bore (barrel), c the 
 
 calibre of the gun, and / the density of the shot. 
 
 This formula may be used for the charge in English weights 
 
 and measures, by using o'.i683, or 2".oi98, instead of o"'.05i3, 
 
 according as ^ is represented by a decimal of a foot, or inches, 
 
 and replacing 34^r.o423 by its value, 75.0973 in English pounds. 
 
 A kilogramme = 2.206 pounds. 
 
54 
 
 Size, Diameter, Number per Ounce and Ultoiate Fall 
 OF Shot. 
 
 Size of Shot.* 
 
 Ounce 
 LG ._. 
 MG-.- 
 
 SG 
 
 SSG .- 
 SSSG . 
 AA _ _ . 
 
 A 
 
 BB -__ 
 
 B 
 
 No. I 
 
 2 
 
 3- 
 4- 
 5- 
 6. 
 
 9 
 
 lo 
 
 Dust 
 
 Fine Dust 
 
 Extra F. Dust. 
 
 Number of 
 
 Shot in one 
 
 ounce. 
 
 II 
 
 15 
 
 17 
 
 40 
 
 50 
 
 58 
 
 75 
 
 82 
 
 112 
 
 135 
 
 177 
 
 2l3 
 
 280 
 
 341 
 
 462 
 
 600 
 
 9S4 
 
 1.7=6 
 
 10.374 
 
 84,021 
 
 Diameter of 
 Shot, in 
 inches. 
 
 .66267 
 -37542 
 •32472 
 .29799 
 .26S71 
 •25773 
 •19377 
 .17988 
 .17100 
 .15714 
 .15255 
 
 • n75i 
 .12919 
 
 .11802 
 .110x1 
 .10131 
 .09468 
 
 .08757 
 .07357 
 
 .06663 
 
 .05524 
 
 Fall, in Feet. 
 
 I 
 
 In one second.! 
 
 15.996 
 15 972 
 15.929 
 15 goS 
 15.901 
 15.899 
 15-830 
 15.809 
 15.754 
 
 Ultimate 
 velocity. 
 
 207.28 
 156 02 
 145.10 
 139.00 
 
 131-99 
 
 129 27 
 
 ri2 og 
 
 108.00 
 
 105.29 
 
 100.93 
 
 99-45 
 
 9442 
 
 91-52 
 
 87.48 
 
 84.50 
 
 80.12 
 
 73.42 
 
 71-37 
 
 65-73 
 
 5985 
 
 * Jlanuracturere, ^\"alker, Parker & Co., London. 
 
55 
 
 Distance Projected, Velocity, Effect, Time and Fall of 
 AN Ounce Bullet. 
 
 Ounce Bullet. 
 Diametei' = .66x67. 
 
 Distance in 1^ second, in feet 
 
 % " yards ... 
 
 ^ " rods 
 
 Velocity at end of first 1^ second. 
 
 Effect at 14.42 rods 
 
 Total distance projected up, feet .. 
 
 Time of ascent, seconds.. ._ 
 
 Average velocity in 34 second 
 
 Initial Velocity— Feet, per sec-ond. 
 
 J500, 
 
 Averuse. 
 
 I24.og 237.85 
 
 7928 
 14.42 
 1774.2 
 
 ! 20-595 
 
 2iog. 3039-4 
 8.462 g.o86 
 
 41-36 
 
 7.52 
 
 911.40 
 
 380 
 
 1518 
 
 341.87 
 
 146.64 
 20.65 
 2325.1 
 
 3577-8 
 9.383 
 
 
 Initial 
 
 Distance. 
 
 Average 
 
 Fall 
 
 BiFLB Shooting. 
 
 velocity, 
 2500 
 
 
 
 velocity 
 at 
 
 In each 
 distance. 
 
 
 feet. 
 
 Rods. 
 
 Yards. 
 
 2500. 
 
 feet. 
 
 Distance in V second ... 
 
 379-5 
 
 23 
 
 126.5 
 
 1518 
 
 I 
 
 H '• --- 
 
 660 
 
 40 
 
 220 
 
 1320 
 
 4 
 
 " 1^ " -.- 
 
 1320 
 
 80 
 
 440 
 
 1056 
 
 23 
 
 " 2 
 
 1980 
 
 120 
 
 660 
 
 990 
 
 61-5 
 
 " 2V2 " --- 
 
 2310 
 
 140 
 
 770 
 
 924 
 
 94 
 
 At the ordinary initial velocity, in practice, the fall is said to 
 be about as follows : 
 
 Distance, yds. 
 Fall, feet 
 
 3C0 
 
 400 
 15 
 
 500 
 24 
 
 600 
 36X 
 
 700 
 51 
 
 800 900 
 68 88>^ 
 
 1000 
 112 
 
56 
 
 Velocity, Effect, Distance and Time of all Grades of 
 Shot, from an Olxce Bullet to No. lo. 
 
 Ouycz Bullet. 
 
 Initial Velocity — Feet per second. 
 
 Distance in first l^ second.. 
 Velocity at end of tg second 
 Effect at end of l^ second .. 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent - . .. .. 
 
 Time of ascent and descent 
 Velocity at end of descent. _ 
 
 124.9 
 911. 4 
 
 753-24 
 5O7.21 
 
 2t09 
 
 8,460 
 14.692 
 23.152 
 
 237-85 
 1774.02 
 
 «20.595 
 1240.7 
 
 787-7 
 3039.4 
 9.086 
 19-107 
 23. 193 
 
 \ 3-10.87 
 I 2325.1 
 
 I592.I 
 904.9 
 
 3577-8 
 9-383 
 21.668 
 31.051 
 
 43992 
 2879. 1 
 
 1867.2 
 977-7 
 3959-4 
 9 405 
 23 453 
 32.858 
 
 LG Shot. 
 
 Distance in first 1^ second. . 
 Velocity at end of 1^ second 
 Effect at end of 1^ second 
 
 Distance in first second | 644. 
 
 Velocity ■ 427 
 
 Whole ascent 1407.9 
 
 Time of ascent 6. 598 
 
 Time of descent 12.419 
 
 Time of ascent and descent 19.017 
 
 223.72 
 1548.8 
 
 15.972 
 992.88 
 539-56 
 1933 3 
 6.958 
 
 15 759 
 22.717 
 
 314-96 
 
 396.40 
 
 1979.8 
 
 2370.8 
 
 1230.5 
 
 I4II 
 
 591-5 
 
 621.4 
 
 2240.5 
 
 2458.6 
 
 7.078 
 
 7.138 
 
 17.718 
 
 19.137 
 
 24.796 
 
 26.275 
 
 MG Shot. 
 
 Distance in first % second.. 
 Velocity at end of J^ second 
 Effect at end of }^ second 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent. 
 
 219.19 
 1431.5 
 
 7.378 
 912.71 
 496.94 
 
 I 1719-7 
 6.494 
 14.960 
 21.454 
 
 306.36 
 1879 5 
 
 383-27 
 2229. 
 
 1168.7 
 5044 
 1985. 
 6.603 
 16.821 
 23.424 
 
 1282.6 
 
 565.3 
 2174. 
 6.651 
 18. 141 
 24.792 
 
 *No. 8 Shot at 99 feet = jj yards =- 6 rods, initial velocity 2000 feet being i, 
 an ounce bullet, at the same initial velocity, will be over 20^ times greater at 
 237.8s feet = 79.28 yards — 14.42 rods. 
 
57 
 
 Velocity, Effect, Distance, Etc. — Continued. 
 
 SG Shot. 
 
 Velocity at end of J^ second- 
 Effect at end of 1^ second ... 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent .. 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 TinV of ascent and descent-. 
 
 Initial Velocity —Feet per second. 
 
 117.50 
 822.50 
 
 594-59 
 372-13 
 1187 
 5-950 
 II. 561 
 17-511 
 
 216.02 
 
 1396-5 
 
 6.444 
 891.65 
 454.20 
 1603.9 
 6.234 
 
 14-543 
 20.777 
 
 300.63 
 1819.9 
 
 1087.6 
 
 490-3 
 1847.8 
 
 6-344 
 16.268 
 22.612 
 
 374-77 
 2145-2 
 
 1238.3 
 510.5 
 2020. 7 
 6-377 
 17-534 
 23.911 
 
 SSG Shot. 
 
 Distance in first l-^ second 
 Velocity at end of J.^ second. 
 Effect at end of },^ second . .. 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent 
 
 Time of descent .. 
 
 Time of ascent and descent.. 
 
 116.68 
 80645 
 
 571-72 
 3-18.53 
 
 1098.4 
 
 5.676 
 
 II igi 
 16.867 
 
 212.57 
 1351-5 
 5569 
 
 847 47 
 419 26 
 
 1474-4 
 5 934 
 14-032 
 19.966 
 
 294 13 
 
 1744-3 
 
 1029.4 
 
 449 7 
 1687 8 
 6.019 
 15.669 
 21.688 
 
 365 04 
 2040.7 
 
 1165.4 
 
 467-7 
 1850.4 
 6.060 
 16.879 
 22 942 
 
 SSSG Shot. 
 
 Velocity at end of 1^ second.. 
 
 Effect at end of J^ second 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent ..- 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent — 
 
 115 74 
 Soo. 13 
 
 562.4 
 339-25 
 1064 4 
 5-668 
 11.004 
 16.672 
 
 210 22 
 1335-2 
 5.141 
 829.87 
 405-76 
 1 1424.9 
 5.816 
 13 830 
 19.646 
 
 291.30 
 
 361-13 
 
 I7I3.7 
 
 1998. 
 
 1005.6 
 
 1136-8 
 
 434.1 
 
 449-9 
 
 1635-9 
 
 1785.6 
 
 5-899 
 
 5 940 
 
 15.582 
 
 16582 
 
 21.481 
 
 22.522 
 
oS 
 
 Velocity, Effect, Distance, Etc — Continued. 
 
 AA Shot. 
 
 Initial Velocity— Feet per second. 
 
 Distance ia first J^ second 112 22 199-47 
 
 Velocity at end of 1^ second-. 750 58 1200. i 
 
 Effect at end of 1 8 second - .- 3099 
 
 Distance in first second | 495.50 I 714.0S 
 
 Velocity j 273 77 I 322.24 
 
 Whole ascent | 856.02 1127.2 
 
 Time of ascent 1 4545 5071 
 
 Time of descent 10072 12.499 
 
 Time of ascent and descent 14 9S7 17.570 
 
 270. 
 1504- 
 
 33106 
 1715.3 
 
 852.53 
 
 958.12 
 
 338.97 
 
 345-36 
 
 1285.7 
 
 139S.2 
 
 i 5- 034 
 
 5-165 
 
 13,901 
 
 15-075 
 
 ; 19-035 
 
 2»240 
 
 A Shot. 
 
 Distance in first ig second ' in. 12 196.21 
 
 Velocity at end of 1^ second.. 736.38 1165. 
 
 Effect at end of 1^ second ; ... 2.707 
 
 Distance in first second 432.55 6S5.30 
 
 Velocity — 264.56 30296 
 
 Wliole ascent So5.i6 1059.8 
 
 Timeof ascent ... ... 4720 4893 
 
 Time of descent 9325 12.154 
 
 Time of ascent and descent 14-545 17047 
 
 265.12 ' 
 
 32301 
 
 1445-5 
 
 1643.3 
 
 814.63 , 
 
 90983 
 
 318 27 1 
 
 326.60 
 
 1207.1 1 
 
 1311-6 
 
 4-934 
 
 4-9-0 
 
 13.532 
 
 14.501 
 
 15.466 
 
 19.431 
 
 BB Shot. 
 
 Distance in first I3 second 110.40 194.05 
 
 Velocity at end of ig second. -1 726.27 j 1189.9 
 
 Effect at end of Jg second 1 I 2.463 
 
 Distance in first second 475 86 67123 
 
 Velocity.- 251.93 256.10 
 
 Wliole ascent 776.99 1016.3 
 
 Time of ascent I 4.610 4.774 
 
 Time of descent 9.661 n 905 
 
 Time of ascent and descent 14 271 16.679 
 
 261.35 1 
 
 317-65 
 
 1407 
 
 1593-7 
 
 795-19 1 
 
 S36.20 
 
 299.64 
 
 306.90 
 
 II69.6 
 
 1255-9 
 
 4.530 
 
 4-857 
 
 13 253 
 
 14.166 
 
 ia.0C53 
 
 19.023 
 
59 
 
 Velocity, Eefect, Distance, Etc. — Continued. 
 
 B Shot. 
 
 Distance in first J-^ second.. 
 Velocity at end of J^ second 
 Effect at end of J.^ second .. 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity _..,. 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent ,. 
 
 Time of descent _ 
 
 Time of ascent and descent. 
 
 Initial Velocity— Feet per second. 
 
 1 08 94 
 709 32 
 
 453 
 239-75 
 727.41 
 4.432 
 9.393 
 13.825 
 
 190. 
 
 1098.7 
 
 2.103 
 
 634.71 
 
 270.4 
 
 947.28 
 
 4.584 
 
 11.569 
 
 16.153 
 
 254.49 
 1344.8 
 
 749.50 
 
 282.42 
 
 1075.9 
 4.634 
 12.861 
 17.495 
 
 308.09 
 1514.4 
 
 833'64" 
 288.87 
 1167 I 
 4.660 
 
 13.748 
 18.408 
 
 No. I Shot. 
 
 Distance in first J^ second 
 
 Velocity at end of ^ second. 
 
 Eifect at end of J^ second 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity ._ 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent _ 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent.. 
 
 108. 76 
 702.44 
 
 447.43 
 233.86 
 710.74 
 4.372 
 g.i6o 
 13.532 
 
 189.14 
 1082.3 
 
 1. 981 
 624.87 
 262.86 
 924.16 
 4.518 
 11.450 
 15.968 
 
 253.57 
 
 I3I6 
 
 7 
 
 "7.36 
 
 13 
 
 274 
 
 69 
 
 1049 
 
 
 4 
 
 568 
 
 12 
 
 710 
 
 17 
 
 278 
 
 305.51 
 1483 1 
 
 818.59 
 
 280.22 
 II37.6 
 4.592 
 13.595 
 18.187 
 
 No. a. Shot. 
 
 Velocity at end of i^ second. 
 
 Effect at end of 1^ second 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity - 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent.. 
 
 106.59 
 681. II 
 
 424.46 
 216.71 
 
 655.04 
 4.163 
 8.985 
 
 13.148 
 
 183.57 
 
 1032.3 
 
 1. 551 
 
 587.10 
 
 241.22 
 
 847.48 
 
 4.297 
 
 II.IOI 
 
 15.398 
 
 243.76 
 
 1246.6 
 
 688.98 
 
 250 66 
 959.96 
 
 4.341 
 12.346 
 16.687 
 
 293.20 
 1390.9 
 
 763- 37 
 254.87 
 1039,9 
 4364 
 13.116 
 17.480 
 
60 
 
 Velocity, Effect, Distance, Etc. — Continued. 
 
 Xo. 3 Shot. 
 
 Initial Velocity— Feet per second. 
 
 Distance in first l^ second.. 
 Velocity at end of J^ second 
 Effect at end of J^ second .. 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity .. 
 
 Whole ascent .. 
 
 Time of ascent 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent. 
 
 106.49 
 667.32 
 
 410.73 
 207.00 
 623.57 
 4.046 
 8.790 
 12.836 
 
 180.50 
 1001.00 
 1-435 
 565-64 
 228.56 
 804.31 
 4.170 
 10.749 
 14.919 
 
 248.68 
 1201.2 
 
 661.94 
 236.98 
 910.05 
 4.210 
 11.877 
 16.0S7 
 
 286.25 
 1334.6 
 
 732.07 
 241.44 
 935.04 
 4.231 
 12.779 
 17.010 
 
 No. 4 Shot. 
 
 103-73 
 647.00 
 
 Velocity at end of J^ second 
 
 Effect at end of J 3 second ....i 
 
 Distance in first second 392.62 
 
 Velocity _ _ I 192.43 
 
 Whole ascent. 580.44 
 
 Time of ascent . , 3876 
 
 Time of descent _ 
 
 Time of ascent and descent. 
 
 I 
 
 8 52i 
 12 404 
 
 175.88 
 955. .53 
 
 I.I9I7 
 535-48 
 211.30 
 745-55 
 3-99° 
 10.411 
 14.401 
 
 231.19 
 1136.81 
 
 276.08 
 1255-4 
 
 624.16 
 218.42 
 840. 22 
 4.030 
 
 11-559 
 15.589 , 
 
 633.73 
 222.05 
 
 910-73 
 4.047 
 12.343 
 16.390 
 
 No. 5 Shot. 
 
 Distance in first J^ second . . 
 Velocity at end of ]g second- 
 
 Distance in first second ; 373.52 , 
 
 Velocity 182.16 
 
 Whole ascent 549 30 
 
 Time of ascent 3752 
 
 Time of descent _. i 8. 326 
 
 Time of ascent and descent --.| 12.078 
 
 172 26 
 921.44 
 1.0366 
 
 513 II 
 198.87 
 703.36 
 3.858 
 10 325 
 14.183 
 
 225.38 
 1088.4 
 
 596-34 j 
 
 205.14 •' 
 
 793-50 
 
 3.893 
 
 11.194 
 
 15.0S7 
 
 268.21 
 I 196. 8 
 
 656.73 
 208.43 
 
 857.43 
 3 911 
 11.926 
 15-837 
 
61 
 
 Velocity, Effect, Distance, Etc.— Continued. 
 
 No. 6 Shot. 
 
 Distance in first Jg second.. 
 Velocity at end of ijj second 
 Effect at end of ig second .. 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity _ 
 
 Whole ascent- 
 
 Time of ascent __ 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent. 
 
 Initial Velocity— Feet per second. 
 
 100 6o 
 611.47 
 
 361.93 
 170.40 
 
 514-54 
 3548 
 8.095 
 11.643 
 
 167.86 
 880.20 
 0.87035 
 487.08 
 1S4.83 
 658.31 
 3.706 
 10.065 
 13.771 
 
 218.39 
 1031.3 
 
 564.17 
 190.18 
 741.26 
 3.738 
 10.957 
 14.695 
 
 258,87 
 1128.1 
 
 745.38 
 193.00 
 800.00 
 3.754 
 11.375 
 15.129 
 
 No. 7 Shot. 
 
 Distance in first J^ second 
 
 Velocity at end of J^ second.. 
 
 Effect at end of 1^ second 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent __ 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent... 
 
 99.19 
 595.70 
 
 349 04 
 i6r.56 
 
 487.45 
 3.500 
 
 8.415 
 11.915 
 
 164.33 
 847.86 
 0.75606 
 467.12 
 174.38 
 620.15 
 3.588 
 
 9-635 
 13.223 
 
 212.83 
 
 251-50 
 
 987.18 
 
 1075-5 
 
 539-65 
 
 592.11 
 
 179.12 
 
 181.59 
 
 697.79 
 
 752-86 
 
 3-618 
 
 3-634 
 
 10.625 
 
 11.327 
 
 14.243 
 
 14.961 
 
 No. 8 Shot.* 
 
 Distance in first J^ second 
 
 Velocity at end of ijj second. 
 
 Effect at end of Jg second 
 
 Distance in first second 
 
 Velocity - 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent 
 
 Time of descent .. 
 
 Time of ascent and descent.. 
 
 94.94 
 549.57 
 
 313.69 
 138.36 
 418.70 
 3.196 
 7.409 
 10.605 
 
 154.38 
 757 32 
 0.49966 
 
 413.51 
 147-47 
 528.62 
 3.272 
 g.o6i 
 12.333 
 
 19697 
 866.49 
 
 474.32 
 15077 
 592.93 
 3.297 
 9.851 
 13.148 
 
 230. 73 
 933.80 
 
 518.14 
 152.48 
 
 638.55 
 3.309 
 10.645 
 
 13-954 
 
 * The effect or force of No. 8 Shot at 99 feet — jj yards — 6 rods, at the 
 Initial velocity of 2000 feet per second being i, the same shot at the same 
 initial velocity, but at tlie distance of 154.35 feet — 51.46 yards = 9.35 rods, in y^ 
 of a second, will be 0.49966, and No. 3 Shot, in y^ of a second, 1.4353. 
 
62 
 
 Velocity, Effect, Distance, Etc. — Continued. 
 
 No. 9 Shot. 
 
 Initial Velocity— Feet per second. 
 
 Distance in first ig second __ 
 Velocity at end of I3 second . 
 
 Effect at end of ig second 
 
 Distance In first second 
 
 \^elocity . 
 
 Whole ascent 
 
 Time of ascent 
 
 Time of descent 
 
 Time of ascent and descent- . 
 
 90.93 
 
 50^ 63 
 
 284.50 
 120.59 
 366.15 
 
 2.955 
 
 7.365 
 
 10 320 
 
 Xo. 10 Shot. 
 
 Distance in first I3 second j 86.33 
 
 Velocity at end of 1.3 second..' 461.89 
 
 Effect at end of } g second 
 
 Distance in first second : 253.55 
 
 Velocity | 102.93 
 
 "Whole ascent*.- , 3i4-Oi 
 
 Time of ascent ... i 2.703 
 
 Time of descent - ' 6. 54S 
 
 Time of ascent and descent I 9.251 
 
 144.78 
 6S1.60 
 0.34321 
 
 37045 
 127.30 
 
 45936 
 3.019 
 7.916 
 10.935 
 
 183.13 
 
 212.93 
 
 770.52 
 
 821.28 
 
 422.48 
 
 459.89 
 
 129.70 
 
 130.93 
 
 513-90 
 
 552.58 
 
 3,041 
 
 3051 
 
 9,206 
 
 9-773 
 
 12 247 
 
 12.824 
 
 134-23 
 
 600.16 
 o. 22064 
 
 325.87 
 
 107.63 
 
 391.32 
 2.754 
 
 7-957 
 10.711 
 
 167.72 
 666. 6g 
 
 369.37 
 109 24 
 
 436.51 
 2.772 
 
 8.759 
 11.531 
 
 193-45 
 705. So 
 
 490.59 
 110.14 
 46S.71 
 2.781 
 9.199 
 11.9S0 
 
 • The total projection vp, in all sizes of ball and sliot, is Jess than horizontal, 
 provided they meet with no obstruction before their projecting force ends, 
 the initial velocity and size being the same, the force of gravitation "retarding 
 the former and not the latter. 
 
63 
 
 The average velocity of all sizes of shot is more than the 
 actual velocity at the end of, say one-eighth of a second, as 
 given, so that the average velocity given in the London Field 
 gun trials of 935 feet in 40 yards, 12 gauge gun, loaded with 
 three and one-half drams No. 4 C. and H. powder, and one 
 ounce No. 5 shot, does not vary materially from the figures 
 given here. 
 
 BLINDS, AND HOW TO BLIND. 
 
 Take small reeds (cane) three feet long and size of a clay pipe 
 stem, fasten them two inches apart six inches from tlie bottom, 
 in the middle, and six inches from the top, tie on to each cane 
 a bunch of long tough grass, at the middle fastening and the 
 top, letting the grass stick up a little above the canes, and not 
 below the lower line of fastenings on the canes. Make four of 
 these 4 feet long, and two, for back and front blinds, 3 feet 
 long, hang them slanting on blind-stakes, covering the boat 
 from stern to seat, or more, the bow generally being shoved into 
 the grass. Throw old grass over exposed parts of the boat. 
 
 How TO Blind. — Choose your ground so as to have the wind 
 to your back and open water in front. If exactly to your back, 
 place your decoys, not too close together, so they will show to 
 good advantage from every quarter, and about 25 to 30 yards 
 from the stern of your boat. When ducks fly occasionally down 
 the wind, let them pass, and if you are well hid, they will 
 generally swing around and come up the wind, toward the 
 decoys. Let them come well up, and then raise to your feet 
 and blaze away. Should the wind be up or down the shore, or 
 up and down a river or bayou, then place your boat diagonally 
 to the shore, with the stern towards down wind, then have your 
 decoys placed from 15 to 25 yards from the shore line, and 
 about 25 to 30 yards, down the wind, from an extended line 
 from your boat, at right angles with the shore. Take a 
 position with a natural blind in flags or reeds if you can. 
 
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CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HOW TO APPLY THE KNOWLEDGE YOU HAVE GOT, TO PRACTICAL USE. 
 
 LEAVING the figures and facts, as stated in the last chapter, 
 to be studied, analyzed, improved upon, adopted, rejected 
 or skipped, as the acquisition of knowledge, or the want 
 of it, may impel the aspirant after hunting honors, we now turn 
 our attention to the application of theories to practical use. 
 When long experience and careful observation are found and 
 thrown into the balance, they ought to weigh something, and 
 will, if only to pave the way to greater perfection and cunning 
 in the successful capture of game. 
 
 Although there may be a great similarity in the characteris- 
 tics" that go to make up a sportsman in the true sense of the term, 
 yet no two act and think exa.ctly alike, and may not always 
 agree upon the same methods of hunting the same kind of game. 
 
 In deer hunting, some may prefer to drive them with slow 
 hounds into the water, or through run-ways, and take a chance 
 at their heads in the lakes and rivers, or their hearts on the run- 
 ways, others will wait patiently for a tracking snow, creep 
 stealthily on them before being discovered, or, failing to get a 
 deadly shot then, after they are frightened, run them hard, tire 
 them out and just before dark, bring them in easy range and 
 finally to "bag." While still others more numerous, and the 
 best, will prefer the generalship, vigilance and excitement of the 
 "still hunt." September, October and November, are the 
 months in all the year for them. In the middle of the day, when 
 the leaves are dry and footsteps noisy, they will spy out the 
 land, note carefully the feeding-grounds, run-ways, deer-licks, 
 and favorite haunts of the deer by "signs" well known to the 
 experienced deer' hunter, and when found, be there before day- 
 light in the morning. Their dress should be gray, to assimilate 
 
^8 
 
 to the color of the woods, and, standing or moving so cautiously 
 as to be sure to see the Aetr first, that may happen to be feed- 
 ing or prowling along that way; and when seen, let no " buck- 
 fever " flurry you, nor should you fail to get a point blank shot 
 at his heart by waiting silently and motionless for him to come 
 up, or if he be headed another way, by crawling stealthily up to 
 him. This you can do by watching your chance when his head 
 is down feeding, or behind a tree. When near enough, bring 
 your gun to your shoulder unseen (the slightest motion when his 
 head is up will send him bounding away with his flag flying), 
 and at the proper moment, with cool, unerring aim, fire ! Of 
 course you killed him ; and who can tell in words the thrilling 
 pleasures of such a triumph ? 
 
 The hunting range of the average American sportsman 
 (including the enthusiastic boy with his first gun) runs from 
 the ground squirrel, to the grizzly bear, and from the pee-wee 
 to the pelican. It would be too big a job to follow him through 
 the entire range, although the interest blazing in the face of the 
 boy over his first chip-munk, may surpass the cool, self-reliant 
 smile of the old conqueror of the terrible grizzly. 
 
 Narrowing down, then, we will select such game birds and 
 animals as are the most numerous and widely distributed 
 throughout the United States, and the most difficult to capture. 
 
 Geese, turkeys, quail, snipe, woodcock, grouse and ducks, 
 hold the first place among the former, and bear, deer, elk, foxes, 
 rabbits, squirrels, etc., among the latter. 
 
 The music of a pack of hounds in full cry after a deer or fox 
 just started, the skill and dash of the bold riders and their sym- 
 pathetic steeds of tried mettle and speed, the keen, unselfish con- 
 test to "see it all and be first at the death," and with unani- 
 mous consent carry off" in modest triumph the " brush " and the 
 applause, are so familiar to all who have " been there " or who 
 read, as they ought, the excellent sporting journals of the day, 
 that nothing further need be added here. 
 
19 
 
 The pinnated and ruffed grouse, the quail, woodcock and 
 snipe, the pigeon and the plover, all have their devoted admir- 
 ers, and as game birds in their proper season, inspire the sports- 
 man with unbounded enthusiasm and delight in his field ram- 
 bles with his dog and gun. Here again, little can be said that 
 would be new or useful. A 12, 16, or 20 gauge gun, loaded 
 with 2,%, 2% and 2_r^ drams of No. 2 (fine) powder respect- 
 ively, and -i}i, 1, and i to ^ oz. of shot respectively, ranging 
 from No. 5 to No. 8 inclusive, according to the kind of birds, 
 and tiie season of shooting, a brace of setters or pointers 
 trained to hunt together, "back" each other and retrieve or 
 not, as may best suit your habit or fancy, and a comfortable and 
 convenient field rig are about all you need to set you up in bus- 
 iness. Whether you make or break, will depend on your enter- 
 prise, and the way you invest your capital stock. 
 
 But when you come to wild geese, and marsh and open water 
 duck shooting, some things have got to be done, or it will very 
 likely be a " scratch " if you do not return with a heavy heart 
 and light bag. 
 
 These game birds are widely distributed, and more or less 
 numerous throughout all the United States and Territories, 
 the Canadian dominions, and most parts of the Old World, in 
 kinds. 
 
 No matter how much may be told, some things must be left 
 to the good sense and sagacity of the hunter ; coolness, sharp 
 eyes, and untiring vigilance are indispensable to secure success. 
 Three cardinal essentials are pre-requisite, in geese and duck 
 shooting, viz.: First to find out the haunts and feeding grounds 
 of the game ; second, blind so perfectly that you cannot be seen 
 at all by the game ; and third, wait for them to come up to you, 
 and then shoot well. 
 
80 
 
 ■ft'ILD GOOSE SHOOTING. 
 
 Anas Canadensis. — The Canada goose, the most common of 
 all the tribe, and the most v/idely distributed throughout the 
 United States, is 36 inches long, 62 inches in extent of wings, 
 and weighs from 10 to 14 pounds. 
 
 They breed in the wild, uninhabited regions of the north, sel- 
 dom south of latitude 44°, but are easily raised, and partially 
 domesticated in almost any locality. 
 
 They leave their breeding grounds in the fall in triangular 
 flocks of from ten to one hundred, and stop for food and rest in 
 the lakes, bayous, estuaries, rivers and marshes, towards the 
 south. From these points they visit corn fields, wheat fields 
 and wet meadows, evenings and in early morning. Having 
 closely observed their habits in a given locality, the hunter will 
 be governed by that knowledge. 
 
 If the feeding grounds be navigable marshes, the hunter 
 thoroughly blinds himself and boat near where he knows they 
 resort to feed, in the afternoon, or, which is best, before day- 
 light in the morning, places his decoys down the wind, if there 
 be any, about 35 yards from his blind, and then patiently awaits 
 their coming. They do not always come. But when they doj 
 remember they are a large bird, and when the}- set their wings 
 for your decoys, keep down and do not be deceived as to the 
 distance they are off when you raise up to fire. Let them come 
 light on to you ; many and many a good shot is lost by mis- 
 judging the distance and rising up to shoot, "flaring" them, 
 and to your sore discomfiture finding them " 40 " rods off and 
 entirel}- out of range. Having seen you, that flock will not be 
 seen by you again that day. 
 
 They are a sharp-e\"ed, wary bird, and quick to see and shy 
 any moving thing. Blind well, keep down close and motion- 
 less, and you will be astonished that so shy and wild a bird 
 will be so great a "bull -head;" he will come right on to you; 
 then right and left, bang! bang! — "sposh!" "sposh!" two 
 noble birds reward )Our patience and skill. Having shoved out 
 
81 
 
 and picked up your birds, set tliem out near your wood decoys, 
 with sticks of the proper length and stiffness inserted in the 
 mud, and in the bills of the geese, so as to hold their heads nat- 
 ural, and then hurry back to your cover, for there is another 
 flock coming. 
 
 If the wind be high, and all things favorable, flock after flock 
 will come to you, and you will make several of them pay tribute 
 to your skill, but not all ; you will miss some. This will make 
 you temporarily mad, no matter how sweet your temper may be, 
 but you must remember that the sportsman, however skilled, 
 who kills one in five of geese and ducks on the wing through 
 the day may be justly counted a " good shot." 
 
 When food is scarce in the lakes, rivers or marshes where 
 geese resort, they will leave these places in the evening, in the 
 night, or at early morning, for the adjacent or neighboring 
 corn fields, wheat fields and swaily meadows. Watch their 
 movements and " lay for them " accordingly. 
 
 For geese shooting use a lo gauge 30 to 32 inch gun, metal- 
 lic (best) or paper shells loaded with 3}^ to 4 drams No. i 
 (coarse) powder, and \yi oz. of B shot; two pink edged wads 
 over the powder and one Baldwin wad over the shot. When 
 their wings are " set " coming up to your decoys, and not over 
 30 to 40 yards high, aim at their bills, but if sweeping by you at 
 their usual speed and 8 to 10 rods off, shoot ahead from 8 to 10 
 feet, more or less, according to the distance and angle. No. i 
 shot at close range, or BB at long, are frequently used, but 
 for all the chances single Bs will be found on the whole to pro- 
 duce the best results. Geese seldom dive for their food, which is 
 mostly vegetable. They are fond of corn, wheat, spring grass, 
 marsh potato, or the root of the arrow-head, the wild celery, 
 water snails, young fiogs, etc. 
 
82 
 
 marsh ducks. 
 Mallard and Black Duck. 
 
 The Mallard, A. Boschas, and the Black Duck, A. Obscura, 
 are very similar in size and habits, the former, 24 inches long 
 and 36 inches in extent of wings, weighing from 2j^ to 3j4 
 pounds, and the latter 24 inches long, 38 inches in extent of 
 wings, and weighing 2}^ to 3^ pounds. Although often seen 
 together, flying and feeding in the most friendly manner, yet a 
 hybrid is very rarely found. One, however, it is believed, was 
 killed by Judge E. B. Sadler, president of the Winous Point 
 Shooting Club, on their grounds in Sandusky Bay in 1878, was 
 mounted by Dr. John E. Darby, of Cleveland, and now graces 
 the club's collection of game ducks at their club house. 
 
 The mallards are much the most numerous, and live and 
 breed more or less almost ever)'where that they can find seclu- 
 sion, water and food ; but as a general thing the mass of them 
 go north to breed. __ 
 
 In the spring and fall, on their way north and south, some- 
 times incredible numbers resort to favorite feeding grounds, and 
 whereever that may be there will the happy sportsman be also. 
 
 They feed mostly on vegetables, and seldom dive for their 
 food. Hence the mallard and black duck are found in bavous 
 and shoal places, where they can reach their food with their 
 long necks and bills. The deer tongue, marsh potato, (root 
 of the arrow head,) tender grasses, and the glutinous mosses of 
 the marshes, are their principal food. 
 
 .They are gregarious, and are frequently seen in very large 
 flocks, especially in the fall, when on their passage south, or 
 when they congregate in their open water resting grounds in 
 the middle of the day. Thence, just before dark, they will raise 
 up singly, or in pairs, and fly low and straight for their favorite 
 feeding grounds. 
 
 The experienced hunter will closely observe these habits, note 
 where he "scares" them up in the morning, and where they 
 
83 
 
 "pitch down" for their evening meal, and at the proper time 
 get in there, set out his decoys, blind himself and boat per- 
 fectly, and stay there. If it be a cloudy, windy day, the 
 "proper time" is early in the morning, but if clear and bright 
 sunshine, then just before sunset. If you have carefully 
 observed the " signs " of their having resorted there for food, 
 such as riley water, roots and bits of champend deer tongue and 
 grass, feathers floating about or lodged near the shore down the 
 wind, and seeing them get up and "pitch down," then make 
 up your mind that it is as good a place as any, and fight it out 
 on that line. They will be pretty sure to come. 
 
 You have already been careful to set your decoys in a grace- 
 ful triangle, with the base from you down the wind, and about 
 20 yards away. The wind being at your back if possible, 
 all the ducks that come from the direction in front of you will 
 come slowly and fearlessly up the wind to alight ; when they 
 come from behind you, let them pass, they will be almost sure to 
 wheel around and come back to alight up the wind ; and when 
 they do come up, it is your duty to keep down, close down, and 
 completely hidden from sight, then, while hovering over your 
 decoys almost still in the air, raise to your feet, aim at their 
 heads, and double them up like a wet rag. If you should miss 
 such a fair chance, and you will sometimes, and the duck 
 "flares " away and "whirrs " off rapidly to the right or left, as 
 he is very likely to do, give him your second barrel, but do not 
 forget that by this time he is several rods away, and to hit him, 
 flying at right angles with your line of fire, you must aim from 
 three to eight feet ahead, or score another miss. 
 
 As soon as you kill a duck, " set him up " with a stick of the 
 proper length shoved into the mud with a slight slant down the 
 wind, insert the other end in his mouth, so as to hold him firmly 
 and naturally with his head to the wind, as an additional decoy, 
 and keep on doing so until your flock of decoys becomes so 
 attractive as to be almost irresistible. 
 
84 
 
 Spring shooting of ducks, especially those that breed here, 
 should be prohibited by our game laws throughout the United 
 States. They are then generally poor, and pairing off for their 
 northern flight and breeding grounds. You kill a whole brood 
 in every female then, which if left undisturbed would be very 
 sure to return with her numerous progeny and companions, in 
 the fall, year after year, and thus enchance and prolong the 
 pleasures of the sportsman. 
 
 In shooting mallard and black duck, (called also dusky duck,) 
 from September first to October fifteenth, when their feathers 
 are thin and many are young and tender, use 12 gauge gun, (or 
 even smaller,) charged with 3 to 3)^ drams of No. 2 (fine) pow- 
 der, and I oz. of No. 5 shot, with single pink-edge wad over the 
 powder. After that time they are in full plumage, feathers thick 
 and compact, and their bodies covered with fat and feathers. 
 Then bring out your 10 gauge, load with 3J4 to 4 drams No i 
 Champion Ducking (equal to 4 Oriental) powder, and 1-^ oz. 
 No. 4 shot. 
 
 Season. — From September first until it freezes up, or until 
 they leave the south for their northern breeding grounds in the 
 spring. They are the most numerous about the first of 
 November. 
 
 Best Localities. — • Secluded bayous, pond holes, in all 
 marshes, (amongst deer tongue and lily pads,) shoal creeks and 
 estuaries. 
 
 Best Time. — Morning and evening clear days ; when cloudy 
 or rainy, all day. The mallard and black duck are supposed to 
 fly at the rate of about 40 miles per hour. If the flight of No. 5 
 shot be 10 44-100 feet in one-eighth of a second, and the flight 
 of a mallard 7 33 100 feet in one-eighth of a second, the dis- 
 tance to aim ahead of the duck flying at right angles with the 
 line of fire at jo. 44 rods will be 7.33 feet, varying according to 
 distance and angle. 
 
85 
 
 Wood or Summer Puck. 
 
 A. Sponsa. — The male of this duck is the most beautiful, in 
 full plumage, of all the duck species. It is 19 inches long, 28 
 inches in extent of wing, and weighs 1^ to 2)/^ pounds. It is 
 widely distributed throughout the United States and Canadian 
 Dominion, and there breeds. 
 
 It is the only duck that ever alights upon a tree, in the hol- 
 lows of which it prefers to build its nest and hatch its young. 
 When hatched the female takes them, one by one, between her 
 bills and deposits them safely in some neighboring pool. 
 
 Their flesh is tender and delicate, and when "bagged" the 
 sportsman is always sure of a good dinner. 
 
 Season. — In northern states and Canada, from September 
 first to about the twenty-fifth of October ; they go south soon 
 after the first hard frost. 
 
 Resorts. — In lakes, rivers, marshes, and bayous, where wild 
 rice, lily pads, deer tongue and flag-holes abound. 
 
 Best Time. — Early in the morning, or in bayous, feeding and 
 roosting grounds, from sunset till dark ; in deer tongue and 
 wild rice, any time in the day with a punter to cautiously pole 
 your boat and ' ' punt ' ' them up. 
 
 They come up to decoys readily, provided they are set on 
 their feeding grounds, elsewhere they pay little or no attention 
 to decoys. ilence it is generally asserted that they are not 
 easily decoyed. They feed on wild rice, nelumbrum or lily 
 pad seeds, chestnuts, acorns, and numerous roots and glutinous 
 mosses found in the marshes. 
 
 In their flight to and from their feeding grounds, they 
 generally fly low and pretty straight; hence, when they are 
 numerous, good point shooting may be obtained. 
 
 Charge. — 12 gauge gun, 3 to 3^ drams No. 2 (fine) powder 
 and I oz. No. 6 shot ; 10 gauge gun, 3)^ to 2 drams No. i (coarse) 
 powder and i^ oz. No. 5 or 6 shot. At 10 14 100 rods, in full 
 flight at right angles with the line of fire, aim about 7 feet ahead, 
 and vary according to distance and angle. 
 
86 
 
 Blue Winged Teal. 
 
 A. Discors. — This is the finest and the most numerous of the 
 "marsh ducks." It is 15 inches long, 22 inches in extent of 
 wings, and weighs i ^ to i ^ pounds. Many nest in the Northern 
 States and Canada, but the great majority, like the mallard, go 
 further north to breed, where in undisturbed solitude they rear 
 their young. They are very prolific, and they come from the 
 north to their more southerly feeding grounds in numerous 
 flocks and vast numbers. 
 
 Their flesh is juicy and tender, and is held, justly, in high 
 repute by all epicurean lovers of game. They are greedy feed- 
 ers, and soon after their arrival on their feeding grounds become 
 very fat. 
 
 Their flight is generally low and very swift, in quite large 
 flocks. The food they seem to prefer is the wild rice and a 
 fiber}- glutinous weed or moss, found in shallow marshes. Not 
 being a shy bird, and being eminently gregarious, they are 
 easily decoyed. Let the observing hunter prowl around until 
 he finds a " teal hole," whence he will very likely " scare up " 
 from 50 to 500. If he be prudent, and after a. "big bag," he 
 will not shoot at them as they raise up in a mass before him. 
 The temptation to " rake " them as they rise is very great, but 
 one shot then may spoil a hundred. Let them go off undisturbed, 
 shove into the bayou or teal hole, up the wind, having placed 
 your decoys at the proper distance in the open water, and where 
 best seen from every direction. Blind well in the flags, reeds, 
 or with your artificial blinds, and then wait and watch for them 
 to come back This will be pretty sure to occur, if you have 
 really got into a " teal hole," and if you do not register from 50 
 to 100 in your diary that day, it will most probably be because 
 your " gun didn't shoot well." 
 
 They leave the northern sections for the south as soon as hard 
 frosts set in, and just before that time they become scattered a 
 
87 
 
 good deal, and this makes nice sport in "punting" them up 
 amongst the wild rice and deer tongue. 
 
 Season. — In the Middle States and the Dominion of Canada, 
 from September first to November first, after that time further 
 south. 
 
 Localities. — In secluded bayous and ponds, along the mar- 
 gins of rivers and creeks, where the water is shallow, among 
 wild rice, deer tongue, lily pads and flags. 
 
 Time. — Early in the morning and just before dark in clear 
 days, but if cloudy, windy, or rainy, or you are in a "teal hole," 
 all day. 
 
 Charge. — 12 gauge gun, 3^ to 3^ drams No. i (fine) pow- 
 der, and I to i}i oz. No. 8 shot; 10 gauge, 4 drams No. 2 pow- 
 der, and i}4 oz. No. 8 shot. 
 
 Where to Hold. — No. 8 shot are projected 51.46 yards — 9.35 
 rods — in one-eighth of a second. The blue-winged teal in full 
 flight and plumage, go at the rate of from 80 to 100 miles per 
 hour, or 18.4 feet in one-eighth of a second. At that distance 
 and at right angles, you must aim from 14 to 18 feet ahead of 
 the bird, varying according to angle and distance. 
 
 Pintail. 
 
 A. Acuta. — The male of this duck is very handsome ; some of 
 its feathers being in great demand for salmon, bass and trout 
 flies. Its tail and neck are quite long and unproportional, as 
 compared with other ducks generally. It measures 28 inches in 
 length, 34 inches in extent of wings, and weighs from 2 to 2^ 
 pounds. They are "high flyers," and when not broken up 
 move in quite large flocks, but not so rapid as they are " airy" 
 and graceful. Few prettier sights can greet the eyes of the 
 sportsman than to observe a flock from a great height catch sight 
 of his decoys and swoop down in zig zags and gyrations, and 
 finally hover over them within easy range of his ready gun. 
 
88 
 
 Tliey never dive for their food, but seek it with their long 
 necks and bills, with their slim tails in the air, in the shoal waters 
 of the marshes, bayous, lakes and rivers, where their fibery veg- 
 etable food grows. 
 
 Season. — From September first through the season. 
 
 Locality. ^ — In shoal bayous, ponds, lakes and streams, nearly 
 all over the United States; best in secluded shallow places where 
 their favorite food abounds, and which is at the same time a lee 
 shore, with a heavy wind and a cloudy day. 
 
 Time. — ^Very early in the morning if clear, all day if cloudy, 
 windy, or rainy. 
 
 Charge. — In 12 gauge gun, from September first to October 
 fifteenth, 3^^ to 3^^ drams No. 2 powder, and i to i}i oz. No. 
 5 shot ; from that time on use one-fourth dram more powder, and 
 Xo. 4 shot. In 10 gauge, 3^^ drams No. i powder, and i}i oz. 
 No. 5 shot, until October fifteenth, when in full plumage and 
 wild, then use 4 drams No. i (coarse) powder and i^ oz. No. 4 
 or 3 shot. When in full flight shoot ahead, at 10 63-100 rods, 
 7 to 9 feet, varying according to the distance and angle. 
 
 WiDGEOX. 
 
 A. Americana. — This handsome, lively, fickle-minded bird is 
 known everywhere, and in some localities by the nick-name of 
 " old bald pate." The male has very pretty variegated feathers, 
 many suitable for trout, salmon, and bass flies. It is 22 inches 
 in length, 30 inches in extent of wings, and weighs about i ^ to 
 2j^ pounds. 
 
 They fly in large flocks until they get broken up by the repeated 
 shots of the sportsman. Their food is similar to that of the red- 
 head and canvas-back, the wild celery, but as they do not dive 
 for their food, they become, of necessity, a band of robbers, 
 prowling around among those industrious ducks, ever on the 
 watch, and ever ready to seize upon and devour any sweet mor- 
 sal these active divers bring to the surface. They are very wary, 
 
89 
 
 never alighting where they have evidently made up their minds 
 finally to settle down, until they have fooled and wearied you a 
 dozen times, and out of all patience. 
 
 They take, apparently, great delight in bullying and robbing 
 the harmless and industrious mud-hen or coot, which like the 
 canvas-back, is a great diver, and a greedy lover of the wild 
 celery roots. But they do not rely altogether upon plundering 
 their neighbors for a living. Fond of the roots of new and 
 tender grass and other vegetable growths of the marshes and 
 wet meadows, they are often seen singly and in large flocks, 
 wherever such food is plenty. In such places, in secluded 
 bayous, under the lee of points, when the wind is high, they are 
 easily decoyed. But you must keep down out of sight, for, if 
 the least motion be seen, when they appear to be " right on 
 you," they will " flare off" instantly with both a forward and 
 lateral motion, and should you be tempted to shoot, the chances 
 of a clear miss are about ten to one. 
 
 Season. — From September first until it freezes up, north; more 
 southerly, until they return north in the spring to their breed- 
 ing grounds. They do not breed in the United States. 
 
 Locality. — All over the marshes ; best in secluded bayous and 
 on lee shores, in heavy wind and sea. 
 
 Best Time. — Early in the morning, if clear; all day, if 
 cloudy, windy or rainy. 
 
 Charge. — Same as for pintail. 
 
 Gadwall. 
 
 A. Strepera. — This is a very handsome duck when in full 
 plumage. It does not breed here ; nor are they very numerous. 
 They fly straight, comparatively slow, and are easily decoyed 
 and shot. 
 
 It is 20 inches long, 35 inches in extent of wings, and weighs 
 about 2 to 2j^ pounds. 
 
 Generally it does not make its appearance before about the 
 25th of October, and then stays until it freezes up. 
 
so 
 
 Their localities and food are similar to the pintail, and the 
 same charge may be used in shooting them. 
 
 Shoveler. 
 
 A. Clypeata. — This delicious but unsightly duck, known also 
 by the names of "spoon-bill" and "broad-billed teal," (but 
 should really be only known as "the deacon,") is not only 
 "good to eat," but is easily captured with decoys. It breeds 
 in unknown regions north; They fly in small flocks, and are 
 not very plenty. 
 
 It is 17 to 20 inches long, 24 inches in extent of wings, and 
 weighs ii^ to 2 pounds. 
 
 They begin to arrive from the north about the 20th of Sep- 
 tember, and continue south through the season. Their food 
 and habits are similar to the blue-winged teal, and require 
 about the same charge and the same style of shooting as for the 
 pintail. 
 
 Green-Winged Teal. 
 
 A. Crecca. — These lively little birds are wide-spread and very 
 numerous. They do not breed in the States, but probably in 
 the wild and uninhabited regions of Hudson's Bay. They 
 arrive here about the 5th to loth of September, and stay until 
 the close of the season. Not being divers, they feed, like the 
 blue-winged, in shoal bayous and along the margins of shallow 
 streams. They are exceedingly swift on the wing, have great 
 vitality, and are not easily killed ; but they decoy splendidly, 
 alighting among your decoys before you know it. 
 
 It is 15 inches long, 24 inches in extent of wings, and weighs 
 from ^ to I pound, and when fat and roasted is highly prized 
 by many good judges of a game dinner, especially those who 
 are unacquainted with the more tender, juicy and delicious 
 blue-wing. 
 
91 
 
 Evening and cloudy days are the best times to shoot them, 
 using the same charge as for the blue-wing ; shooting so far 
 ahead, as they whiz by you, that you feel sure you will miss, and 
 you will quite likely see your bird drop. 
 
 These are all the marsh ducks that the sportsman cares about. 
 The rest, such as the golden eye, velvet duck, ruddy duck, 
 butter ball, hooded and gooseander mergansers, may do to 
 "practice" on, but are good for nothing for the table, unless 
 skinned before being cooked ; and then you had best swap them 
 oif for some sausage, and trust in Providence that it isn't dog. 
 
CHAPTER ^IL 
 
 OPEN-WATER DUCKS. 
 
 Chief among these, and all other ducks, is the 
 
 Caxvas-Back. 
 
 A. Valisneria. — This grand duck, the king of the duck 
 species, is only found where its peculiar food, the wild celery, 
 grows. The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, the Delaware, 
 Sandusky Bay, lakes in Wisconsin, and the St. Clair Flats, con- 
 stitute their principal feeding grounds in this country. Where 
 their food is abundant, they resort to those localities in incredi- 
 ble numbers. They breed in Alaska and the extreme northern 
 regions, and arrive here about the loth to 15th of October. 
 They fly straight and with extraordinary velocity, in pretty 
 large flocks generally, and gather on their favorite feeding 
 grounds in vast numbers — so great that when frightened to take 
 wing, they make a noise, like the "sound of many waters," that 
 can be heard miles away. They are very muscular, have large 
 heads and long, straight, stout bills, and are the neatest and 
 most expert divers of all the water fowls known, except only the 
 great "northern diver" or loon. 
 
 Its length is 24 inches, extent of wings 36 inches, and it 
 weighs from 2j^ to 4 pounds. 
 
 They are industrious feeders, and soon after arriving from the 
 north on their feeding grounds become very fat, and when in 
 good condition are the most delicious, juicy, fine-flavored 
 water fowl that flies. 
 
 Generally they are high flyers, and exceedingly shy and wary. 
 But as they sometimes fly low, very straight and steady, when 
 traveling from one feeding ground to another, they aff'ord 
 splendid and exciting point shooting in favorite localities. It 
 
93 
 
 ftequently occurs, that when they begin to "fly" they keep it 
 up all day. In this they are remarkable and peculiar. Some- 
 times they will "set, and set, and set," in vast numbers and at 
 a provoking distance out of shot, and nothing will drive them 
 away. Scare them up, and they will sweep around you out of 
 range, and down they go again. At other times they appear to 
 have agreed upon a line of flight, and no matter how riiuch they 
 are banged at, persistently follow the programme; flock after 
 flock, at unequal intervals and with marked regularity, sweep 
 by, very swift, steady and in a straight line, and nearly in the 
 same track! When the observing hunter sees this state of 
 things, he locates and blinds on some favorable point in the 
 line of flight, and is pretty sure of exhausting his store of 
 ammunition and bagging some game. Generally, if he will 
 "own up," he has not averaged one in ten shots, brought to 
 bag. But do not feel bad about it, and unjustly condemn the 
 powder, the gun or yourself. Some of the best of shots have 
 done this, and will do it again. There is a reason for it. You 
 have misjudged the distance ! The canvas-back is a large bird ; 
 it flies with great rapidity; you are down in your blind, silently 
 watching his approach; when you think he is "right on" you, 
 only forty yards away, you raise up and fire, and find, too late, 
 he was over fifty yards distant. Of course you would miss, 
 shooting, probably, from three to five feet clear behind the 
 flock! 
 
 At places where they feed, they come up splendidly to 
 decoys. Whole flocks will alight among them, and you may 
 often get in four barrels before they will take wing, if you ever 
 shoot at ducks on the water. 
 
 Sink-boats or boxes, surrounded by numerous canvas-back 
 decoys, are used in the Delaware and its tributaries, and other 
 places, very successfully; but in Sandusky Bay no such device 
 is required. With fifty or sixty decoys skillfully arranged about 
 thirty yards down the wind from your blind, at or near their 
 accustomed feeding grounds, you will, when they fly at all. 
 
generally insure a good day's sport. From thirty to fifty have 
 frequently been killed in one day in the same place. But to 
 accomplish such a result, you must ^nd the right place, blind 
 perfectly, wait for them to came up in sure range, and then 
 shoot well. Failing in any one of these pre-requisites, you will 
 very likely go home empty handed, grumbling at your gun or 
 your "hard luck"! 
 
 Season. — From October 12th to the close of the season. 
 
 Localities. — Open-water bays, bayous, shallow lakes and 
 rivers, wherever the wild celery abotinds. 
 
 Best Time. — Still weather and clear, from daybreak up to 8 
 or 9 o'clock A. M.; stormy and cloudy, with heavy wind, all day; 
 when cloudy and still, it is the best time to use decoys, and then 
 "stick to it " all day; very likely you will do the best toward 
 dark 
 
 Charge. — 10 gauge gun; from Oct. 12th to Nov. ist, ^j4 to 
 33^ drams No. 2 powder and i}i oz. No. 4 shot ; after Nov. ist, 
 4 to 4^ drams No. i powder and i)4 oz. No. 3 shot, using two 
 pink- edged wads over the powder. 
 
 Where to Hold. — In point shooting, when flying by at their 
 usual speed and at right angles with your line of fire, and from 
 8 to 10 rods (45 to 55 yards") away, aim 15 to 18 feet ahead of 
 the flock, varying as the distance, angle and size of shot vary. 
 
 Red-Head. 
 
 A. Ferina. — This duck is frequently mistaken for the canvas- 
 back, the males of which are quite similar in all respects except 
 their bills and their size. They are swift, steady flyers, and 
 arrive here from the north about the first of October, in medium 
 sized flocks. 
 
 They dive for their food, and in that they are almost as 
 expert as the canvas-back. Although they apjjear to feed in the 
 same localities with the canvas-back, yet their food cannot 
 
95 
 
 always be the same, for the red-head are numerous and grow fat 
 in places where there is no wild celery and where canvas-backs 
 never resort. 
 
 When wing-tipped or slightly wounded, they show equal or 
 even greater sagacity than the canvas-back, in diving, doubling 
 and sneaking, with nothing above water but the tips of their 
 bills, and finally in escaping altogether, unless you have a quick 
 eye and are a good snap shot. 
 
 Its length is 20 inches, extent of wings 30 inches, and weight 
 2^ to 3 pounds. 
 
 They are decoyed with ease, and frequently alight before you 
 know it. Blind well when shooting over decoys or on points 
 near their feeding grounds. Let them come well up, and 
 remember they are rapid flyers, and you must hold ahead or 
 " you may never see that duck again." 
 
 Charge. — 10 gauge, 3j4 to 3^ drams No. 2 powder and i^ 
 oz. No. 4 shot, over decoys; in point shooting, 4 drams of 
 powder and i^ oz. No. 3 shot may do better. When flying by, 
 aim, at 50 yards, about 8 to 10 feet ahead, varying according to 
 angle and distance. 
 
 Blue-Bill. 
 
 A. Marila — Scaup. — There are several varieties of this swift- 
 winged, hardy duck. The large blue-bill is 19 inches long, 29 
 inches in extent of wings, and weighs from 2 to 2^ pounds. 
 
 They produce more fun for the sportsman than satisfaction to 
 the epicure's taste. Water snails and aquatic animals consti- 
 tuting their principal food, they are apt to have rather a strong 
 taste, especially if they are not skinned before cooking. 
 
 There is no trouble in decoying them at or near their feeding 
 ground, or in their line of flight, when they are flying low in 
 search of food. 
 
 The lesser blue-bills are the most numerous, and are decoyed 
 the most readily. They fly very low and very swift, and will 
 
frequently pop in among )our decoys unseen and unheard. 
 They are great divers, expert in sneaking and hiding, and hard 
 to kill. 
 
 They are widely distributed over, but do not breed in, the 
 United States. Arriving here from the north about the first of 
 October, they remain through the season. 
 
 Charge. — 12 gauge gun, t,}^ drams No. 2 powder and i oz. 
 Xo. 4 shot; 10 gauge gun, 4 drams Xo. i powder (equal to Xo. 
 4 Curtis & H.), and i^ oz. Xo. 4 shot. You need not be 
 afraid to shoot ahead of them when flying by. At 8 to ten rods 
 off, aim II to 15 feet ahead, and then you will be more likely 
 to shoot behind than ahead. 
 
 Br.-^xt. 
 
 A. Beneicla. — This sprightly bird is seldom seen (except high 
 in air on his way to the sea-coast) along the western lakes, or 
 in the interior of the Northern and Middle States. 
 
 They fly in very large flocks, are easily decoyed, and afford 
 great sport where they resort for food. 
 
 Its length is 24 inches, extent of wings 42 inches, and weight 
 about 4 pounds. 
 
 They fly swifter than they really appear to, and at 50 yards, 
 with Xo. I shot, you should aim from 10 to 14 feet ahead. 
 
 Charge — 10 gauge gun, 4 drams Xo. i powder and i^ oz. 
 Xo. I shot ; at long range use B shot 
 
 It may be observed, in closing this branch of our subject, that 
 "holding on," probably, has been fixed in the minds of the 
 quail, snipe, woodcock, grouse and plover hunters, from the 
 fact that these birds ordinarily "get up" close in, and fly, in 
 the majority of mstances, nearly in a straight line awav. In 
 any event, they are generally so near, and the angle so small, 
 that nine times in ten " holding on " will bring down the bird. 
 Although in a right-angle flight the "holder on" fires and 
 
97 
 
 misses, it occurs so seldom during the day's sport, that "he 
 don't count that" against himself, but finds every excuse but 
 the right one — he shot behind his bird. Figures and facts 
 cannot lie, and ought to settle the question. 
 
CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 USEFUL INFORMATION "ODDS AND ENDS." 
 
 Sound, Velocity of, in Air = 1,142 feet per second. 
 " " Water = 4,900 " " 
 
 " " Copper ^ 10,378 " " 
 
 " " Wood = 12,000 to 16,000 feet per second. 
 
 " " Iron ^ 17,500 feet per second. 
 
 Air = (consists of) i pound of oxygen to 3.29 pounds of nitrogen. 
 
 Capacity of Fish Tank or Cistern for each ten inches 
 IN depth. 
 
 Diameter 
 In feet. [ 
 
 Gallons. 
 
 Diameter 
 in feet. 
 
 Gallons. 
 
 Diameter 
 in feet. 
 
 Gallons. 
 
 2. 
 
 195 
 
 7- 
 
 239.88 ; 
 
 14- 
 
 959-6 
 
 2-5 
 
 30- 5 
 
 /■:> 
 
 275-4 
 
 15- 
 
 1101.6 
 
 30 
 
 44.6 
 
 S. 
 
 313-33 ; 
 
 20. 
 
 1958.4 
 
 3-5 
 
 59-97 
 
 8.5 
 
 352.73 
 
 25- 
 
 30599 
 
 4- 
 
 78-33 
 
 9- 
 
 396.56 
 
 30. 
 
 4404. 
 
 4-5 
 
 99.14 
 
 9-5 
 
 461.4 
 
 35- 
 
 5990.0 
 
 c. 
 
 122.4 
 
 10. 
 
 4S96 
 
 40. 
 
 7831.0 
 
 5-5 j 
 
 148. 1 
 
 II. 
 
 592.4 
 
 45. 
 
 9911.0 
 
 6. 
 
 176.25 
 
 12. 
 
 705- 
 827-4 
 
 
 
 6.5 
 
 206.85 
 
 13. 
 
 
 
 
 
99 
 
 Wind, Force of. 
 
 Miles 
 
 Feet 
 
 Feet 
 
 Force in 
 
 
 per 
 
 per 
 
 per 
 
 pounds per 
 
 Description. 
 
 hour. 
 
 minute. 
 
 second. 
 
 square foot. 
 
 
 I 
 
 88 
 
 1.47 
 
 .005 
 
 Hardly perceptible. 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 176 
 264 
 
 2.93 
 4-4 
 
 .020 } 
 .044 f 
 
 Just perceptible. 
 
 4 
 
 352 
 
 5-87 
 
 .079/ 
 •123 ( 
 
 Gentle breeze. 
 
 5 
 
 440 
 
 7-33 
 
 
 ID 
 
 880 
 
 14.67 
 
 ■492 1 
 
 1.107 c 
 
 Pleasant breeze. 
 
 15 
 
 1,320 
 
 22. 
 
 
 20 
 25 
 
 1,760 
 2,200 
 
 29-3 
 36.6 
 
 1.970 / 
 3.067 f 
 
 Brisk gale. 
 
 3° 
 
 35 
 
 2,640 
 3,080 
 
 44. 
 51.3 
 
 4.429 ) 
 
 6 027 f 
 
 High wind. 
 
 40 
 45 
 
 3.520 
 3.960 
 
 58.6 
 66. 
 
 7.870 1 
 9.900 f 
 
 Very high wind. 
 
 5° 
 
 4,400 
 
 73 3 
 
 12.304 
 
 Storm. 
 
 6o 
 70 
 
 5,280 
 6,160 
 
 88. 
 102.7 
 
 17-733 / 
 24-153 i 
 
 Great storm. 
 
 80 
 100 
 
 7,040 
 8,800 
 
 117-3 
 146.6 
 
 31-490 } 
 49.200 j 
 
 Hurricane. 
 
 Mensuration. 
 
 Diameter 
 
 Diameter 
 
 Diameter 
 
 Diameter^ 
 
 Radius 
 
 Circumference 
 
 Triangle, Area of 
 
 X 3-14159 = Circumference. 
 
 X .8862 = Side of an equal square. 
 
 X .7071 = Side of an inscribed square. 
 
 X .7854 ^ Area of circle. 
 
 X 6.28318 = Circumference. 
 
 4- 3.14149 = Diameter. 
 
 . Base X t)y J^ perpendicular height. 
 
 Solid Measure. 
 
 1,728 cubic inches = i cubic foot. 
 46,656 cubic inches = 27 cubic feet = i cubic yard. 
 128 cubic feet ^ i cord of wood. 
 
100 
 
 LoxG Measure. 
 
 12 inches = i foot. 
 
 36 inches = 3 feet = I yard. 
 
 72 inches ^ 6 feet — = i fathom. 
 
 iqS inclies = 16^ feet =• 5I j'ards = I rod or pole. 
 
 7,920 inches^ 660 feet = 220 yards = 110 fathoms = 40 rods 
 = I furlong. 
 63,360 inches = 5,280 feet = 1,760 yards = SSo fathoms = 320 rods 
 = 8 furlongs = i mile. 
 I link = 7.g2 inches. 
 
 100 links = I chain = 66 feet = 22 yards. 
 
 80 chains = i mile. 
 
 Geographical mile = 6,075 feet. 
 Admiralty knot = 6,oSo feet. 
 
 Squ.are Measure. 
 
 144 sq. inches = i sq. foot. 
 
 1,269 sq. inches = 9 sq. feet — = i sq. yard. 
 
 39,204 sq. inches = 272^ sq. feet = 30^ sq. yards = I sq. rod. 
 1,563,160 sq. inches = io,35o sq. feet = 1,210 sq. yards = 40 sq. rods 
 
 = I sq. rood. 
 6,272,640 sq. inches ^ 43,560 sq. feet = 4,840 sq. yards = 160 sq rods 
 = 4 sq. roods = i sq. acre. 
 640 sq. acres = i sq. mile. 
 10 sq. chains = i sq. acre. 
 I chain wide ^ S acres per mile. 
 
 Avoirdupois Weight. 
 
 16 drams = i oz. = 437.5 grains. 
 
 256 drams = 16 oz. ^ i lb. 
 
 7,168 drams = 44S oz. = 2S lb. ^ i qr. 
 
 23,672 drams = 1,792 oz. ^ ri2 lb. ^ 4 qr. = i cwt. 
 573,440 drams = 35,840 oz. = 2,240 ft. = 80 qr. = 20 cwt. = rton. 
 
 1 dram = 27.344 grains. 4 drams = iig. 376 grains. 
 
 2 drams ^ 54.658 grains. 4J drams = 123.045 grains, 
 2^ drams = 68.360 grains. 5 drams = 136.720 grains. 
 
 3 drams = 82. 032 grains. 5i drams = 150.392 grains. 
 3i drams ^ 95.704 grains. 6 drams ^ 164.064 grains. 
 
101 
 
 U. S. Measure of Capacity. 
 
 231 cubic inches =— i gallon. 
 462 cubic inches = 2 gallons = i peck. 
 1,728 cubic inches = i cubic foot. 
 2,150.42 cubic inches = 1,243 cubic feet = i bushel. 
 8,316 cubic inches = 4i bushels = i barrel. 
 46,656 cubic inches = 1 cubic yard. 
 
 Levers. 
 F B 
 
 w 
 
 p 
 
 W = weight to be raised,^ WXAF iAp_PXFB 
 
 P = the power, ) Then 
 
 W: 
 
 F = the fulcrum, 
 
 FB ■ W 
 
 PXFB 
 AF 
 
 FB = ^-^ 
 
 Pulley. 
 
 N = number sheaves in the lower block, "i 
 
 P = power required, •- Then, p ^ _ 
 
 W = the weight to be raised, ) ^ 
 
 "Odds and Ends." 
 
 French metre = 3.281 feet = 39.37 inches. 
 
 French kilogramme = 2.206 pounds. 
 French gramme = .002205 pounds Avoirdupois. 
 Cast Iron. — One cubic inch ^ ^ of a pound. To find the weight 
 of cast iron, divide the number of cubic inches by 4. 
 
 Wrought Iron. — A bar i inch square and i yard long = 10 pounds; 
 so the weight of a lineal yard of bar is found by multiplying the square 
 inches in the section by 10. 
 
 Momentum = Weight multiplied b)' velocity. 
 
 Length of-the day is equal to double the lime the sun seis. 
 
 Length of the night is equal to double the time the sun rises. 
 
102 
 
 A Chaldron = 36 bushels. 
 Hay, Pressed, per cubic foot ^ 8 pounds. 
 Hay, as usual, per cubic foot = 5 pounds. 
 One gallon of water = 8.33 pounds. 
 
 Horse Power = a force necessary to raise 33,000 pounds i foot. 
 Lumber, Weight of, per foot, board measure : Pine, poplar, hem- 
 lock = 4 pounds ; oak, walnut, cherry and ash = 5 pounds. 
 
 Proof-House Standard Diameters of Gun Barrels, in 
 thousandths of an inch. 
 
 No. 9 Gauge 6.803 of an inch. 
 
 ' 10 
 
 ---- .775 
 
 ' II 
 
 ---- .751 
 
 ' 12 
 
 729 
 
 ' 13 " 
 
 710 
 
 ' 14 
 
 693 
 
 No. 15 
 
 Gauge 0.677 of an inch 
 
 " 16 
 
 " .662 
 
 " 17 
 
 " .649 
 
 " 18 
 
 " 637 
 
 " 19 
 
 " .626 
 
 " 20 
 
 " .... .615 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TRAPPING HOW TO TRAP FOXES, MINK AND MARTEN. 
 
 Jo. Davis was a character. Way back in the year 1824, he 
 came out of the interminable forest of the "John Brown's 
 Tract," in northwestern New York, where he had been engaged 
 "setting his traps," lean, lank, sick and hardly able to drag 
 one foot before the other. He chanced to strike a clearing on 
 the banks of Salmon River, where an "opening" had been 
 made, a saw-mill built, and the enterprising owner comfortably 
 housed for that time and region. 
 
 In those days, and in the early settlements, the "latch 
 string" always hung out, and there were no bolts to the doors 
 or windows. Jo. was taken in, tenderly nursed, and after a 
 fierce struggle between life and death for several months, in the 
 early spring he began rapidly to mend, and soon regained that 
 elasticity and strength of body and acuteness of mind that made 
 him so famous in all that country. 
 
 As soon as he began to sit up and crawl around, he wanted to 
 "do something." Said he had no money, and his traps were 
 all in the big woods where he left them when the fever took 
 him. His sharp, kindly, face was sad, his lips quivered, and a 
 tear trembled on his eye-lashes. He had more heart than mus- 
 cle then. He loved independence, but was not yet strong 
 enough to assert it. But there was no need. His quiet, unselfish, 
 winning ways had already captured all hearts; the "women- 
 folks," by mending all the broken chairs and crockery, (the 
 nearest settlement was five miles away); the "men-folks," by 
 re-helving their axes, hanging gates on wooden hinges, sharpen- 
 ing the tools about the mill and "setting" the saws; the boys — 
 he took to the boys, and they fairly worshiped him, because he 
 told them the wild stories of his eventful hunting and trapping 
 
104 
 
 life, made them bows and arrows and taught them how to use 
 them, promised to teach them how to hunt and shoot bear and 
 deer, how to trap foxes, otters, minks, martins, muskrats and 
 coons, (and he added: "I don't go much on coons; tame and 
 pet 'em and they'll rob your hen-roost; give 'em all they beg 
 for and they'll steal all the more when your back is turned; no, 
 don't take arter coons much; they'r just cunnin' enough to be 
 treacherous, and altho' his tail is kind o' fancy his skin ain't 
 worth skinnin', ") and how to fish for trout. That was enough 
 to capture and hold the boys. 
 
 Year after year Jo. Davis left his new-found home in the fall, 
 and returned late in the spring, amid tears and sorrows at part- 
 ing, and smiles and raptures on his return. 
 
 The first spring after his recovery (he returned to the woods in 
 the fall previous) he brought his rifle, a fox, an otter, and a 
 muskrat trap with him, "to fill his promise," as he said, "and 
 learn the boys how to shoot and trap. ' ' Late in the spring, on 
 his return, and generally during the months of September and 
 October, before his time of departure, in November, each year 
 he devoted all the "spare " time of himself and boys to hunting, 
 tiapping and trout fishing. 
 
 Fox Trapping. 
 
 '■' Foxes is pretty troublesome, you say? carried off" half your 
 geese and turkeys, ha ? wall boys you just look on and larn, an' 
 I'll show you how to fix 'em." 
 
 He swung his carved powder-horn under his right arm, his 
 trusty rifle over his left, and with a hay rake in his right hand, 
 he strode off towards a back lot, newly cleared, using the rake 
 handle for a cane. The two boys, ten and twelve years old, 
 trudged along behind, one carrying a hoe. 
 
 "Now, my lads, you see foxes is awful cunnin' varmints, in 
 their native elimints, which is the woods, but when the thievin' 
 rascals come into the clearins to steal live food, all their cunnin' 
 is bent on that, and they forget about everything else, therefore. 
 
105 
 
 always set your trap in the clearin', and never in tlie woods. 
 And fustly, sarch out a new field, or an old paster, in the line 
 of travel of the varmints, from the woods to the hen-roost ; then 
 find a place if you can, where a tree has all rotted fine, and noth- 
 ing will grow there — here like this, which is just the spot we're 
 looking for — most apt to find it in grounds lately cleared. Aint 
 so apt to find old rotten wood in old pasters, so in them you 
 must look for some dry, sandy, barren place where the grass 
 don't grow." 
 
 Having decided upon the spot, Jo. sent one boy to cut some 
 hemlock boughs, and the other to cut a blue-beach for a clog. 
 " Mind," he said to the clog boy, that it is an inch thick at the 
 butt, two feet long, and has got at least five prongs to it; cut 
 the prongs off, leavin' 'em at least four inches long, so the fox 
 can't drag the dog through the fence and brush. Jo. lit his 
 pipe, sat down on a stump and quietly smoked and meditated 
 until the boys returned. 
 
 " Now, my lads, look and learn, and do as I tell ye." With 
 the hoe he loosened up the decayed wood and earth for about 
 five feet by three, ordered one boy to rake it over smooth, and 
 the other to follow behind with the hemlock boughs, and brush 
 over the bed and also all the tracks made in or about the beds, 
 so everything would look as " natural as life," as Jo. remarked. 
 He buried the clog by the side of the bed, all but the last prong, 
 at the little end, behind which the chain of the trap was to be 
 fastened. 
 
 "Next thing to do is to bait 'em. In the fall, about hog killin', 
 the waste in'ards makes good bait; but remember it must just be 
 dragged across the field four ways, all centerin' to the bed, and 
 then cut up in very fine bits and scattered all over the bed, but 
 not too much at once. Now as we have got no butcher's meat 
 I'll just take my rifle and knock over three or four squirrels, skin 
 'em, drag 'em in four times, then cut 'cm up fine and sprinkle 
 'em all over the bed." This he proceeded to do, and after the 
 bed was thus baited the brush was again applied to cover all 
 
106 
 
 tracks, and the little party walked away leaving no trace behind 
 but the bait. 
 
 That night one fox had visited the bed and eaten up all the 
 bait, as Jo. proclaimed the next morning by the "signs" and 
 tracks on and about the bed. More squirrels and a woodpecker 
 or two were shot, skinned, dragged, and cut up fine, as before, 
 and scattered pretty evenly over the bed. This process was 
 repeated every day for four or five days, when it appeared by 
 the tracks and signs that several foxes nightly and fearlessly vis- 
 ited the bed and eat up the bait. 
 
 Then Jo. took his light, smart, double-springed, steel fox 
 trap, which had for days been soaking in the juice boiled out of 
 hemlock boughs, and thoroughly rubbed with cold tallow, dug 
 out a place, near the center of the bed, the size of the trap, and 
 deep enough so when covered the surface would be exactly level, 
 set the trap, placed some dry leaves (wool or cotton is better,) 
 under \\\t pan so the dirt could not get under and prevent its 
 falling down enough to spring the trap when the pan is stepped 
 on, replaced the removed earth, fastened the chain securely to 
 the tip end of the clog, covered all up with the light muck, and 
 smoothed all over with the broom of hemlock boughs. Then 
 sprinkling the cut bait in small bits all about and over the trap 
 and brushing out all the tracks, Jo. pronounced, with a confident 
 and satisfied air: "The trap is sot, and you boys can tickle 
 your noses with a fox's tail in the mornin'. But fustly I'll give 
 you some points to remember." And this is what he said, in sub- 
 stance : Mucky ground or dry sand is chosen as they are pliable 
 and less likely to freeze and prevent the trap from springing. 
 A light clog with numerous prongs is used, so the fox the minute 
 he is caught can leave the bed at one jump and makes a bee line 
 for the woods, dragging the trap and clog, the prongs of which 
 make a trail easily followed and finally hold him fast at the fence 
 or amongst the thick brush, and the other foxes which have been 
 baited will not be scared away. In this way, if foxes are plenty, 
 five, ten, and as many as fifteen have been caught oif of one such 
 
107 
 
 bed. As a matter of history, seven red foxes were caught on 
 that bed, generally one "every other night," the trap not being 
 set on the alternate nights, but the bed was baited all the same. 
 
 The Dead-Fall. 
 
 The simplest, best and cheapest trap for mftik, martens and 
 coons, is what is called a "dead-fall." 
 
 With a light axe, a jack-knife and a hook and line, a skilled 
 trapper can construct, bait and set from ten to fifteen dead-falls, 
 suitable for mink and coons, in a single day. For marten the 
 trap is smaller and more can be made, baited with bird flesh or 
 fresh meat of any kind, and set, in a day. 
 
 Jo. Davis' mode of constructing a dead-fall, was as follows : 
 
 Cut from a small tree a bed-piece, about three feet long and 
 three inches in diameter, straight and smooth, bed it a little so 
 it will lay firm and solid ; drive solid four stakes about one and 
 one-half inches in diameter, long enough to project above the 
 ground about twelve to fifteen inches ; cut a smooth, straight pole 
 ten to twelve feet long, and about three inches through at the 
 butt, for a " fall " and lay it on the bed-piece lengthwise, and 
 between the four stakes driven on each side of the bed-piece. 
 The fall-pole must be small enough to work up and down between 
 the stakes with ease and freedom. The four stakes will hold the 
 "fall " firmly in its place. Drive stakes in a half circle, to com- 
 plete the pen where the bait is, about fifteen inches deep, so 
 when completed it looks like a chicken coop ; drive a peg down 
 with a notch to hold the end of the spindle. Make a spindle 
 ten or twelve inches long, and a standard about five inches long 
 and one-half to three-fourths inches in diameter. Place additional 
 weights on the fall-pole, if necessary, so as to make sure to kill 
 your game by the weight of the fall. Tie the bait securely to 
 the end of the spindle, leaving a point beyond the bait to catch 
 in the notch. When you set the trap the spindle must project a 
 trifle over the centre of the bed-piece, and the standard must be 
 
108 
 
 h -a 60 
 
 cj ^ <o 
 
 ;: s 2 
 
 .£ 5 H 
 
 u -J >r' 
 
 '5. H 
 
 ^ c 
 
 
 in o 
 
 " C 
 
 u, o 
 
 c -3 
 
 C 5> 
 
 ■a 6 
 
 o 
 
 S g 
 
 w 
 
 — c 
 
 P3 o ■" d 
 
 
 ri 
 
 
 a 
 
 a. 
 
 u 
 
 w 
 
 ^ 
 
 •^ 
 
 D 
 
 — ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PO- 
 
 r- 
 
 ,:= 
 
 tfi 
 
 < 
 
 > 
 
 
 o 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 -u 
 
 Cl 
 
 -T^ 
 
 ^. 
 
 (0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 f- 
 
 rt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ci 
 
 
 
 
 u 
 
 Q 
 
 
 O 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 w 
 
 j:: 
 
109 
 
 placed at the extreme end of the spindle, then the weight of the 
 fall-pole on the standard and spindle will tip up the spindle the 
 moment the point is disengaged from the notch, by the animal 
 pulling at the bait, the standard flies off, the fall-pole comes 
 down with a whang, and your game is secure. The foregoing 
 rough sketch will help to give a correct idea of the common 
 dead- fall, with Jo. Davis' standard, spindle and mode of setting. 
 
 The top of the trap should be covered over with old bark and 
 sticks, so that nothing can get to the bait except between the 
 fall-pole and the sleeper or bed-piece. This device is much 
 simpler than the old " figure four," and a great deal better, as it 
 never fails, while the figure four may be turned outside of the 
 trap and the bait eaten off without injury, even if the trap be 
 sprung. 
 
 In trapping for otter, first find their sliding grounds, see where 
 they slide into the water and where they come out. Always set 
 your trap where they come out, and never where they slide in ; 
 their fore and hind legs are laid backward parallel with their 
 bodies, and their breasts alone would strike and spring the trap, 
 if set where they slide into the water, and they would only 
 be frightened and never caught. A spring pole should generally 
 be used to fasten the chain of the trap to, so as to avoid a 
 " dead-set," which might enable them to twist off their leg, or 
 pull out of the trap j with a spring pole properly set, they seldom 
 get out, but generally soon drown. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 fish and fishing. 
 Song of the Old Fisherman.* 
 
 A werry big trout laid under a root — 
 Root, root, rootletum, toot — 
 A werry big trout laid under a root — 
 Whack-fal-larity — Whack-fal-larity- 
 O, 1 werry big fellow was' he ! 
 
 A werry big grasshopper tumbled along — 
 
 Long, dong, boomerang, bong — 
 
 A werry big grasshopper tumbled along — 
 
 Whack-fal-larity— Whack-fal-larity— 
 
 O, a whoppin' old fellow was he ! 
 
 Sez Trouty, sez he, with a wink of his eye — 
 E)-e, eye, "Here don't you go by; 
 'I've the nicest back parlor ye ever did sp)' ;" 
 Whack-fal-larity — Whack-fal-larity — 
 "Won't you step in and sing me a song?" 
 
 The stupid old 'hopper was proud of his song — 
 
 Song, dong, boomerang, bong — 
 
 He stopped just a little, and stopped just too long — 
 
 Whack-fal-larity — Whack-fal-larity — 
 
 Oh, 'tis pride is the worst compa-nee ! 
 
 And what would become of the lawj'ers and trout — 
 
 Trout, trout, and the devil ^11 out. 
 
 If clients, like_hoppers, warn't lyin' about — 
 
 Whack-fal-larity — Whack-fal larity — 
 
 And it warn't for wanitee? 
 
 * It is regretted that the author of this unique song is unknown. He 
 claimed to have heard it sung by an old pot fisherman on the banks of a 
 lonely stream. 
 
Ill 
 
 Trout (Salmo Fontinalis), and how to " fish" for them. 
 
 Happily, fishermen, like hunters, do not always agree, nor in 
 many of the details of the fly-fishing art do they think and act 
 alike. 
 
 One would think, having read and inwardly digested the wise 
 sayings of the old kings of the business. Sir Isaac Walton and 
 Colton, nothing further could be said. But no, the details of 
 the art are inexhaustible, and the enthusiastic sportsmen, with 
 unabated interest pore over Sir Humphrey Davy and Prof. Wil- 
 son, Hallock and Hoffiand, Dawson and Scott, Norris, Hubert 
 (Frank Forester), W. C. Prime, Fred. Mather, John Borroughs, 
 Dr. Garlick and many others, see new points and new beauties 
 flowing out like the sparkling trout streams they so pleasingly 
 portray, never tiring, wait and watch for more from them. 
 
 Taking advantage of this weakness in the average angler, to 
 lend a listening ear to his brother angler, a little of the expe- 
 rience and observation of more than fifty years in the business, 
 is fearlessly added to the pile. 
 
 Having fixed your mind upon some untried, or tried alnd 
 favorite trout stream, and the time when you will start, the 
 excitement and preparations begin. "Hope may end in 
 fruition." But no matter ; you live thence in the ecstasies of 
 imagination, your reels are over-hauled and lubricated, your 
 eight-ounce split bamboo rods examined, the fly-book replen- 
 ished, new casting lines made, and old ones repaired, your fish- 
 ing " tank ' ' reviewed, to make sure that it contains a small box 
 of tools, a "hank" of gut for extra snoods and casting lines, 
 a pair of nippers, scissors, drinking cup, and small bottle of oil 
 of tar and alcohol, to keep off the gnats and mosquitoes,* a 
 lump of shoemaker's wax, securely wrapped in a fold of bladder, 
 fuse and common matches, a knife, hammer and a cork screw, 
 
 *Any druggist will put you up a four-ounce vial of it, which will last the 
 season. It evaporates rapidly, leaves no f tain or unpleasant odor, and should 
 be rubbed over the face and hands, exposed, about once every hour. 
 
112 
 
 gloves, extra lines, linen thread and waxed ends, needles and 
 thread, beeswax, and a barometer, and then await with heroic 
 patience the starting day. 
 
 Being all ready, time lags dreadfully ; you almost wish you 
 had a thirty days' note in bank to help shorten up the time. At 
 last the day and hour comes, and 3'ou have arrived on the banks 
 of the sparkling, bubbling trout stream, as far up as you design 
 to fish down that day. Having moistened your casting lines 
 and flies, you repair to some cool shade, quietly to prepare for 
 business. 
 
 For the first trial in the pool where your practiced eye has 
 already located the spot, you loop on a "golden pheasant" for a 
 "stretcher," a "governor " for a " coaxer," and a "coachman" 
 for a " dropper," and then sneak (yes "sneak" is the proper 
 word here) cautiously toward the "spot," with a pulsation of 
 the heart, and a breathing you can plainly hear, eager, impa- 
 tient, but gentle — 
 
 "Like a child that sucks at its mother's breast,' 
 
 Noiselessly and skillfully whip out your line to the desired 
 length, and with a quick, graceful motion of the wrist, make 
 your first "grass-hopper" cast. A half pounder swirls toward 
 your drop- fly, breaks the water enough to indicate his size, to 
 your practiced e}'e, and is gone. 
 
 An electric thrill shoots through your elbows and darts along 
 your spine ! With a quick motion you retrieve your line and cast 
 again, but not there now — anywhere else for a minute or two — giv- 
 ing him time to regret his loss of that fat fly; now ca■^t there 
 again, che-chug ! che-r-r-r — you have him i Watching and waiting, 
 the instant your fly struck the water, he took it with a spring 
 that carried him more than a foot in the air, with the hook in 
 his mouth, or, it may have been taken before the fly struck the 
 water at all. Of course you struck lightly, but as quickly as pos- 
 sible; always do so with a fly; you cannot strike too quick; a 
 worm or bait they may gorge, if you wait and give them time, 
 
113 
 
 but an artificial fly, never. The moment the trout seizes the 
 artificial fly it is as far in his mouth or throat as it ever will be, 
 therefore it is sound to repeat, you cannot "strike " too quick 
 after you have seen or /^/Z the trout. 
 
 Having fairly hooked him, and believing there are more like 
 him in the same pool, lead him gently and noiselessly away, 
 where you can give him play, and finally land him with your net 
 and deposit him safely in your creel. Be particularly careful not 
 to " slosh around ' ' and scare every trout within ten rods of you. 
 The cool and skilled sportsman will often take from one to 
 twenty out of the same " trout-hole " in the same day. 
 
 Having" "done" that pool, glide cautiously down to the 
 "riffles" and eddies, behind the boulders that are likely to be 
 there, cast in the best places first, and then cover the whole 
 ground, leaving no nook or spot untried. You will in. this way 
 soon learn whether the trout are that day in the pools, or on the 
 riffles, or scattered along in both. When the discovery is made, 
 work the ground accordingly. 
 
 The reasons for always fishing down the stream (especially if 
 the brook or river be a rapid one) are so numerous and palpa- 
 ble that they need not be recounted here. 
 
 When the water is unusually low, and the day clear, seek the 
 deep pools and shady hiding places. But when the water is at 
 medium height, just after a rain, the trout are apt to lay close 
 along the earth banks, where they search for the worms which 
 he moisture brings to the surface of the soils, to be washed away 
 and carried along by the rapid stream, and gobble them up as 
 they wriggle by. 
 
 Fish slow. Never be in a hurry, except when you are tired and 
 it is eleven o'clock, a beautiful grass island just ahead of you, 
 and your friend, who carries the " lefreshments," is sitting there 
 waiting for you. 
 
 If trout are plenty, but do not rise, change your flies and tac- 
 tics until they do, or failing in that, wind up and go home and 
 
114 
 
 smoke your pipe. It is an off day, and to persist without a 
 change of weather is a waste of time. 
 
 In shallow, rapid streams, use long rubber boots for wading, 
 to the soles of which are fitted, and securely fastened, sole- 
 leather sandals, in which hob-nails are thickly riveted ; or hob- 
 nailed brogans, with wading stockings of rubber cloth, to keep 
 you from slipping on the slimy pebbles and rocks. 
 
 Have your landing net staff hollow, so as always to be able to 
 carry an extra tip, and screw into the butt end, to keep the tip 
 dry, and in its place a tight-fitting stopper, with a thread above 
 and below the shoulder ; and beyond the shoulder and thread 
 form a steel spike, to hold you steady in the swift current and 
 on the smooth rocks, while wading. When not used in wading 
 reverse the stopper, inserting the spike in the tube, using the 
 thread on that side of the shoulder to hold it in its place. You 
 will use your head as well as your muscle ; and a thousand and 
 one nice points will soon be learnt, and become part and parcel 
 of your angling culture, and will tend, largely, to enchance your 
 pleasure, and to fill your creel. 
 
 The common brook trout deposit their spawn in the gravelly 
 beds of the streams in the autumn months, while the mountain 
 or California trout, spawn in the spring, and so rapid is their 
 growth, that in three years, all things being favorable, their size 
 may reach eight to ten ounces, and afford attractive sports for 
 the angler, and a delicious breakfast for the epicure. 
 
 They should be wiped clean of slime, rolled in corn meal or 
 flour, fried quick and brown in a little very hot lard or butter, 
 seasoned, and served up hot. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 TRIAL TRIP FOR TROUT. 
 
 T 
 
 HE great Dr. Johnson's idea of an angler was "A rod 
 with a fly at one end and a fool at the other. But he 
 
 "Was a most sarcastic man," 
 
 and never lost a chance to fire at folly, even if he hit a friend.. 
 All who fish are not true disciples of grand old Izaak, any 
 more than all long-faced men are saints. The genius that 
 would cruelly delight in drowning a blind pup, might rival the 
 immortal Walton himself in catching bull-heads and suckers ! 
 But this ought not and does not degrade the sensible pleasures 
 of angling in the minds of those lovers of the sublime and 
 beautiful, who see 
 
 "The lofty woods, the forest wide and long, 
 
 Adorned with leaves and branches fresh and green, 
 In whose cool bovvers the birds with many a song 
 Do welcome with their choir the summer green ; 
 The meadows fair, where Flora's gifts among 
 Are intermixed with verdant grass between ; 
 The silver-scaled fish that softly swim 
 Within the sweet brook's crystal, watery stream. 
 
 "All these, and many more of His creation 
 
 That made the heavens, the Angler oft doth see ; 
 
 Taking therein no little delectation, 
 
 To think how strange, how beautiful they be ; 
 
 Framing thereof an inward contemplation. 
 
 To set his heart from other fancies free ; 
 
 And whilst he looks on these with joyful eye. 
 
 His mind is rapt above the starry sky." 
 
116 
 
 With such men Dr. Johnson's flying fire falls flat. They 
 know better. Bat he may have hit some of the "Potfrys" and 
 " Snooks " of that day and this. 
 
 Mr. Gustavus Snooks' First Trial. 
 
 Mr. Gustavus Snooks was a nice young man, with more 
 bustle than brains. In early lile, in his blossom of manhood, 
 as it were, he left Boston, his native city, went to Titusville, 
 struck oil, and became suddenly rich; went back to Boston, and 
 resolved to become a sportsman. But what kind ? A mighty 
 Nimrod ? To be a hunter would require a gun that might 
 kick ! — might explode untimely, and kill himself or his friend ! 
 would impose hard tramping, and a good deal of time wasted in 
 practice, to shoot on the wing ! No ! he would not be a 
 hunter. An angler? That sounded well, and it appeared to 
 him that anybody could fish. Yes ; he would become a gentle 
 angler. 
 
 Exquisitely equipped with all the paraphernalia known to the 
 craft, he launched forth, and in due time landed at the only 
 " tavern " in Union Square, Lewis County, New York, near the 
 head waters of the beautiful Salmon River, early in June. 
 
 Addressing the smiling-faced landlord as he alighted, he said: 
 "Any good trout fishing about these parts?" 
 
 " Splendid ! — There's Bill Sparks — he's all fisherman ; knows 
 every inch of ground, and will show you 'round, if you kin pay 
 him for' t." 
 
 "Bring on your Bill Sharks " 
 
 "Sparks, ef you please," said Bill, who always managed to 
 happen 'round just in the nick of time when there was a new 
 arrival at the " tavern ". 
 
 "Well, Mr. Sparks, from the landlord's description you are 
 just the man I am looking for. Will you go, what can you do, 
 aud how much per day?" 
 
 "Yes — everything — five dollars." 
 
Now this was an outrageous price, and both the high con- 
 tracting parties knew it; but Bill asked it, expecting to fall 
 more than half, and Mr. Snooks hesitated and considered it, 
 because he knew his own ignorance of all that pertained to the 
 piscatorial art, wanted to learn of sorxie one who did know, and 
 at the same time appear not to learn anything, but to know it 
 all. So after deliberating awhile he said : "On two conditions 
 it's a bargain for three days." 
 
 " Name 'em." 
 
 " First, you are to do what I bid you, and no grumbling." 
 
 "All right." 
 
 " Secondly, I'll allow no comments or criticism on my Boston 
 style, and when required you may exhibit for my criticism your 
 backwoods style of fishing." 
 
 " Sound again. I'm your'n to command for three days at 
 five dollars a day — mum." 
 
 " We start at half-past nine precisely ; be on hand." 
 
 "Mum, sir, accordin' to contrack — but did you say "nine"? 
 
 "Yes. Is that too early for you? " 
 
 "O, no ! but we generally get through and quit afore that 
 time." 
 
 "Let it be eight then, there maybe some delay in gelling 
 started the first day." 
 
 Bill was on hand prompt at eight. Snooks was not. The 
 truth was, Mr. S. went to his room, after breakfast, with the 
 laudable design of puttmg his tackle together, and getting hi.s 
 hand in. He fastened his casting line on, then his flies, and 
 then undertook to put his pole together and render the whole 
 through the little rings. 
 
 Some of the rings wereon top, some on the under side, and, 
 try, and try as he would, the flies could not be forced through 
 the " nasty little rings." After working and sweating a long 
 time, he got very red in the face, discouraged, and finally mad. 
 He heard Bill talking loud below. An idea struck him ; he 
 would make Bill put it together by a peremptory order under the 
 
118 
 
 contract, so he bundled his pole and landing net together, and 
 came down with them under his arm as if nothing had happened. 
 
 Bill, taking up the bundle, led off, and after tramping about 
 two miles up the river, they struck the bridge which crosses the 
 north branch. 
 
 Bill threw down the bundle of traps on the bridge, and waited 
 for orders. 
 
 "Bill, put that landing net and pole together and throw in, 
 while I smoke a cigar to drive away these infernal mosquitoes." 
 
 He meant to watch Bill closely, see how it was done and why 
 he had failed. 
 
 Bill, like a handy expert, as he was, undid what Mr. Snooks 
 had done, and in a trice was rigged for business, but under- 
 standing the command to "throw in" to mean only to drop 
 the casting line and flies over the bridge into the water, to wet 
 and straighten them out, he reeled out the line a little and 
 dropped it in, held it there a few minutes and then handed the 
 pole to Mr. Snooks. 
 
 " Thar ye be, sir, all ready, go ahead." 
 
 Snooks took the pole with the air of a veteran in the busmess, 
 marched with becoming dignity to the brink of a deep, swift 
 pool, and giving the line a swinging toss, dropped the flies in a 
 tangled bunch on its surface. He got no rise, the tangle was 
 removed by Bill, and he repeated the dumping process several 
 times. 
 
 Finally, observing a shrug of impatience in Bill and that the 
 flies floated away from the deep water of the p'ool, down the 
 stream, it flashed through his mind that he had forgotten to put 
 on a sinker, but he was too proud to let Bill know it, so, bound 
 to remedy this palpable oversight, he "pulled up" and slyly 
 slipped off his heavy gold ring and looped it on to his middle 
 fly, and again "dropped in." It went in withaloud "splash" 
 and sank rapidly to the bottom of the deep pool, was swept by 
 the swift current amongst a jumble of roots and finally hitched 
 fast. Now. the sensation of a "hitch" is similar to that of a 
 
119 
 
 "bite," Snooks took the latter view of it, gave a spirited 
 " twitch " and broke the tip of his rod. 
 
 "I've got one, Billy boy," exclaimed Gustavus, patroniz- 
 ingly, " such a whopper, he has broken my pole, but d — n the 
 pole, if I only get the fish !" 
 
 "Got a blind eel," growled Bill, in disgust. 
 
 "Well, d — n* the odds whether it's an eel or a trout so we only 
 get him." 
 
 "Git h — ; you'l have to dive to git him." 
 
 After his flurry and excitement had subsided a little, Bill con- 
 vinced him that he had no fish at all, but had hopelessly hitched 
 his hooks on a root, and the only thing to do was to pull until 
 the casting line parted and then put on another. 
 
 This sent a cold chill all over Mr. Snooks ; there was his gold 
 ring, worth twenty-five dollars, dangling on the end of that 
 line; if it parted, the ring, to say nothing about the three flies 
 and leader, would be lost. No ! something must be done ! just 
 then he remembered that Bill had said something about 
 "diving." That's it! 
 
 " Bill ! strip off, dive in, and unhitch that line." 
 
 "The water's cold and ta'nt woth it," suggested Bill beseech- 
 ingly. 
 
 " Contract, you know; go in — mum." 
 
 Bill pluckily pitched into that deep, cold pool, unhitched 
 the hooks, and crawled out on the bank with his teeth chatter- 
 ing like a telegraph machine. 
 
 The ring was slipped into his pocket, a new tip adjusted and 
 they went on. 
 
 Bill, whose quick eye had seen the whole of the ring business, 
 by this time suspecting that his patron knew nothing about 
 casting a fly, resolved to hazard a suggestion, and save himself 
 from another cold bath. 
 
 " That was a cute dodge of your'n, Mr. Snooks, that 'ere ring 
 business, to sink 'em right down to whar the big trout was, and 
 
 <'These letters and blanks always stand for the old New England "darn." 
 
120 
 
 make 'em take them 'ere flies, and no trouble arisin' for 'em — ha ! 
 ha ! ha ! that was cute for Boston fishin'. But in this 'ere creek 
 you've ^tf^ to bring them big fellows to the sarfis, you know; 
 cast for 'em, you knowj let's see, mebby the line on that 'ere 
 new pole won't render good." 
 
 Bill took the pole, made several beautiful casts, took half a 
 dozen of medium size, and finally hooked and skillfully landed 
 a splendid " pounder." 
 
 Snooks watched him carefully, all aglow with excitement; 
 grasped the rod with confidence and really made something of a 
 cast. A fine trout leaped for, but missed the flies; he gave a 
 mighty twitch all the same, and lodged the hook high up on an 
 overhanging limb. 
 
 Bill was called upon to climb and free the hooks. This, 
 although a little dangerous, was dry work, and he performed it 
 neatly without a grumble. 
 
 Jilr. Snooks tried to be careful and skillful, but made some 
 pretty awkward work. Bill did not mind being hooked in the 
 breeches three or four times, but when Snooks hooked him in 
 the ear and haggled it out with a dull knife, he suggested more 
 caution. 
 
 Very soon he was fast to a snag on a deep, swift riffle. Bill 
 promptly waded in up to his waist and released the hooks. 
 Again and again he wxs fast to a snag, or tangled on a limb. 
 Bill patiently waded and climbed without a murmur. Finally 
 they came to a deep, wide pool, in the center of which an old 
 snaggy log was lodged. The water whirled and eddied around 
 it on every side, making a trout hole to feast a fisherman's eyes. 
 A noble trout leaped out for a passing dragon fly, close by the 
 log. Snooks saw it and made a desperate " fling " for him, but 
 alas, he overreached ; his flies fell beyond the log, and in 
 retrieving were made hopelessly fast. Snooks was excited and 
 desperate; he wanted that trout, and his last casting line was 
 looped on, (he had whipped out and broken three already,) and 
 
121 
 
 if this was lost the game was up. The water wa§ very deep and 
 the log at least twenty yards away. 
 
 "Billy, my boy," said Mr. Snooks coaxingly, "desperate 
 cases require desperate remedies; you must swim out and 
 unhitch that line." 
 
 Now Bill could not swim, it was too deep to wade, and he 
 didn't want to drown. He stood silent, with a sad face. 
 
 " Come ! business ! remember the contract — mum." 
 
 Bill was solemn, and his mind was troubled. He slowly slid 
 his hand into his pocket, hauled out an old crimpled hog's blad- 
 der, fumbled around in its folds, and slowly and sadly pulled out 
 a greasy five dollar green-back. Looking seriously at Mr. 
 Snooks, he said : 
 
 " I've div and I've clum, I've waded and wallared, and been 
 hooked, and ha'nt said noihin' . Ginerally, I aint the man to 
 bust his contrack ; but I'm dernd ef I'll chance it to make 
 Sally a widder, or learn to swim in a minnit. Here, take that 
 and cj-y quits. Good day." He left. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 BTG AND SilALL-MOUTH BASS. HOW A TROUT TAKES A FLY.* 
 
 I HAVE been reading in the two or three latest numbers of 
 the Chicago Field, so much about big and small-mouth 
 bass, by its very able correspondent, Fred. Mather, and so 
 much about " how a trout takes a fly," by F. French, James 
 Annin, W. C. Prime, and others, that I find myself terribly 
 mixed up, and feel as though I must do something to straighten 
 myself out, although it may result in tangling others. 
 
 Mr. Mather says, truly, " From a false spirit, mankind are 
 prompted to affect familiarity with everything pertaining to 
 shooting and fishing, when there are some things they are not 
 familiar with in these sports, and assume a knowledge, which 
 after awhile they deceive themselves with." 
 
 With this extract staring me in the face, I approach the 
 ground with extreme caution, sportsmanlike, to avoid scaring 
 your fish, and cast my say in thuswise : 
 
 The big-mouth bass is clearly and properly described by Fred. 
 Mather, (as is also the small-mouth,) by signs and terms so clear, 
 that hereafter no sportsman will be justified in confounding 
 them. 
 
 The big-mouth, " not only will live in ponds or (and) streams 
 with muddy bottoms, flags and pond lilies, or anywhere the 
 perch or pike will thrive," but it does live there and nowhere 
 else, except when strayed by accident or forced against its 
 instincts. 
 
 The small-mouth bass delights in clear, pebbly and rocky 
 streams, the rock-bound shores and islands from "Montreal to 
 Mackinaw," and especially hankering for the bright, clear 
 waters of the Oswego River, Salmon River, St. Lawrence River, 
 
 '■Written for, and published in the Chicago Field. 
 
123 
 
 (especially about the "thousand islands") above and below the 
 falls in the Niagara River ; also along rocky bars, coasts, islands 
 and bays in Lake Erie, and in many rivers emptying into the 
 same, about old piers, along the rocky coast at and near Rocky 
 River, Ohio, all around Kelley Island, Put-in Bay, North and 
 South Bass Islands, and the rocky reefs found near them in Lake 
 Erie, and here the gamy " small-mouth " affords lively sport to 
 the angler. The "big-mouth," on the contrary, is found in 
 land-locked ponds, marshy bays and sluggish rivers, where lily 
 pads, deer tongue, wild celery and muddy bottoms with vege- 
 table growth abound. 
 
 We call the "big-mouth" the "pond bass," and the "small- 
 mouth," the lake or " Oswego bass." I do not think the "big- 
 mouth " is called the " Oswego bass in Western New York " or 
 anywhere else, " from an erroneous idea that it originated in and 
 was peculiar to Oswego Lake." I have been around a good 
 deal in that locality and never before heard of such a place as 
 "Osweg'o Lake." Oswego River, a bright and beautiful stream, 
 now, for civilized purposes, dammed against the salmon that for- 
 merly resorted, by thousands, to its rapid flowing waters, has for 
 years afforded the finest black bass fishing with the fly, of any 
 locality on the borders of the great lakes, Niagara River, between 
 Buffalo and the falls, and the islands in Lake Erie, near San- 
 dusky Bay, alone excepted. The black bass affording this pleas- 
 ure to sportsmen are, as I believe, almost exclusively " small- 
 mouth " or " Oswego bass." 
 
 Mr. Mather says, speaking of the "big-mouth": "Side by 
 side, and weight for weight, it is not so gallant a fighter as its 
 cousin," (meaning the "small-mouth,") nor is any other fishwe 
 have heard, seen or read of. [The italics are mine.] 
 
 In his comparison of the gaminess of the two bass he is all 
 right, but when he says that any bass, small or big-mouthed, 
 light or heavy weight, is the most gamy fish "we have heard, 
 seen or read of," I am filled with astonishment, unless he 
 
124 
 
 disclaims ever having enjoyed the pleasurable sensation of 
 hooking and landing a two-pound trout or a ten-pound salmon. 
 
 I grant the bass shoots from its cover and takes the fly, the 
 minnow, or whatever the lure may be, with terrific sprightliness 
 and vigor. But I beg Mr. Mather or any one else to take out 
 his watch the moment he hooks his next bass, and if he don't 
 slide into his landing net like a stick, gameless on his side, in 
 less than three minutes, he has been fortunate enough to get hold 
 of one different from any of the thousands I have taken during 
 the last forty years. 
 
 On the contrary, let him strike a two-pound trout and time 
 hbn. If his skill be equal to the tension of his eight-ounce split 
 bamboo, he may "scoop him up," struggling still after a good 
 fifteen minutes hard fight. The first "splurge" of the bass z> 
 gamy, but he genera.lly succumbs in less than two minutes. 
 After he is landed he may, and often does, " flop around " and 
 show signs of wonderful vitalit)'. 
 
 How A Trout T.^kes a Fly. 
 
 Mr. W. C. Prime, a pleasing, truthful, and very interesting 
 writer, first threw the apple of discord into the peaceful waters 
 of the angler. True, his assertions are not dogmatical, but 
 modest and rather inferential. He says : " It is not often on 
 still water that a trout takes a fly with his mouth before striking 
 it with his tail, but they sometimes do it on a white fly in the 
 evening." Mr French is a little more positive, and boldly says : 
 " I know they sometimes strike a fly with their tail before taking 
 it in their mouth, as I have seen them do it in several locali- 
 ties ; but I do not believe it is their general custom." Mr. 
 James Annin says : " I have seen them strike at the fly with their 
 tails before taking it." And further on, he has seen from his 
 balcony, "the trout start for a fly which was on the surface, 
 and strike at it with their tails, and then turn and appear to 
 take, something before going down." He says he has often 
 
125 
 
 caught them "hooked in the tail," and his father has often 
 done the same. 
 
 These are all gentlemen of undoubted truthfulness and can- 
 dor, knowing what they have seen, and believing sincerely what 
 they know. 
 
 How can we get at the truth of the matter ? Every angler 
 wants it settled; because if "it is not often that a trout takes a 
 fly with his mouth, (on still water, where half the trout are 
 taken,) before striking it with his tail," everybody wants to 
 know it ; for instead of our No. 8 " Governor," suitable for all 
 practical mouth fishing, every sportsman having any regard for 
 the "eternal fitness of things" will hasten to arm his casting 
 line with three several "bunches" of triple flies tied back to 
 back, so as to present a point in every direction, and make a 
 pretty sure thing of every trout that "strikes the fly with his 
 tail" ! 
 
 You and I, these gentlemen, and everybody who has ever 
 caught trout with a fly, or with the "chalk-line and worm bait," 
 have all hooked up more or less in the tail, in the belly, on either 
 side, in the back, and on-both sides of the head outside of the 
 mouth. What does that prove? Not, I think, that the trout 
 uses (in still water or elsewhere) his tail, belly, sides, back or 
 jowls to capture his food ; for that would be absurd, when we 
 all know that nature has provided him with a large, wide 
 mouth, and numerous sharp teeth admirably adapted to just 
 that business. 
 
 Naturally the trout, like the bass, pickerel, pike, carp and 
 herring will "go for " his food, or what he mistakes for food — 
 the artificial fly — with his mouth. I believe no one can deny 
 that he does do it, except in still water, where he suddenly 
 changes his whole nature, and chooses a roundabout way of first 
 knocking the fly down, or, if down on the water, hitting it a 
 deadly whack with his tail, and then if some other trout which 
 does not use its tail in that way, fail* to gobble it up, he will 
 
126 
 
 triangulate around a spell, and finally do what he could and 
 ought to have done at first — seize it with his mouth. 
 
 Now what is the use of our reaching away out in the regions 
 of absurdity to explain a simple thing like the accidental hook- 
 ing of a trout in the tail, when every sportsman, with a little 
 reflection, will see and remember just how it was done. 
 
 The trout rushes at a minnow or fly, a grasshopper or any 
 food he seeks to catch, with his mouth, and nothing else. A 
 vigorous trout, weighing from one-half to three pounds, can 
 jump clear of the water between three and four feet. In jump- 
 ing for flies, they seldom shoot above the surface more than 
 from ten to twenty inches. The trout, like the salmon, jumps 
 in a curve, so as to strike the water head first when they come 
 down. A salmon, weighing from ten to fifteen pounds, can 
 jump in the air, from deep water, from fi\e to eleven feet. 
 They, too, in jumping at a dam, start at an angle toward the 
 top of the dam, where the water breaks over, of about forty-five 
 degrees, making a curved line. If the salmon miss the water 
 pouring over the dam entirely, he falls head first back into the 
 deep pool whence he started ; if he strike the rapid falling water 
 below the brink, it carries him back, tail first, sideway or any 
 way, quick ; but if he chance to strike the brink with more than 
 half his body above the swift falling current, he will go over the 
 dam with a flirt that will make the water fly. 
 
 1 say, then, from all the lights we have, that neither the trout 
 nor the salmon appear to move fin or tail from the moment it 
 leaves the water until it strikes it again. How, then, can it 
 "strike a fly with its tail," when its tail is not moved at all 
 after it leaves the water, except to follow the line of its projected 
 body ? We have all seen a trout jump repeatedly at a fly, miss 
 it several times, perhaps, but finally catch it, not with his tail, 
 but with his mouth. Some trout, having become skilled by 
 long practice on living flies, take the artificial ones at the first 
 leap; others, less experienced, or, perhaps, having got a "bad 
 start ", miss the fly time and again. Would it not be strange. 
 
127 
 
 then, if one of the three or four fly- hooks, that you all know 
 never fail to catch on an unwelcome root, should sometimes 
 accidentally hook into the tail, belly, sides and back of the con- 
 stantly exposed little jumper. He tries to catch the dangling or 
 floating fly in his mouth ; he misses it, and not unfrequently 
 strikes the casting line near a hook on his return, just at the 
 moment you strike for the jump, or just when you sharply 
 retrieve your line for a new cast. Then you find your lively 
 beauty caught by the tail, or wherever he happened to come in 
 contact with one of the hooks. Sometimes the trout misses the 
 fly, but catches the snood in its mouth above the fly. In that 
 case your strike pulls the snood through his mouth until the 
 hook strikes his jaws outside of his mouth. " Hooked up !" you 
 exclaim, although you know he "bit" at the fly-hook. You 
 saw him do it. Now, why not claim that the trout tried to 
 strike the fly with his jowls? With all the jumping and shoot- 
 ing over and under the line armed with one to five sharp hooks, 
 the chief wonder is that we do not accidentally hook more by 
 the tail or outside of the mouth than we do. 
 
 It would be strange, indeed, if in the thousands of rises the 
 trout makes at flies, natural or artificial, some one at some time 
 should not accidentally hit his tail against a fly. They may 
 knock it down thus, and that or some other trout may finally 
 take it, as he ought to, in his mouth ; but in all my experience, 
 whatever that may be worth, I never yet saw anything that 
 could lead me to believe that a trout or a swallow would 
 attempt, or ever did attempt, to use his tail when the mouth 
 God gave him would serve him so much better. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 HOW TO PADDLE AND POLE A BOAT. 
 
 "At early morn the hunter starts away, 
 His light boat gliding o'er the silvery bay — 
 The point to find, amongst the reedy grass. 
 To blind his boat and watch for ducks to pass." 
 
 The light hunting boats used in the rivers, small lakes and 
 extensive marshes are usually rigged for rowing ; but occasion- 
 ally it becomes necessary to use a pole or a paddle. You 
 cannot row through dccr-tongue, wild rice, flags, or in very 
 narrow channels, and make much headway. In such places the 
 use of the pole becomes indispensable; and every sportsman 
 should learn to handle it with ease and grace. It is distressing 
 to see a trim and handsome boat swayed, tottled and jammed 
 about by an awkward boatman. Start in right, then, and you 
 will soon be master of the situation, and will have nothing to 
 unlearn. 
 
 To paddle a canoe with an Indian paddle, set your paddle 
 blade in the water at such an angle as will send your boat 
 straight ahead. The paddle should be held in your hands 
 nearly perpendicular at the moment the blade is set in the 
 water for the propelling stroke, and that should be as nearly 
 parallel with the centre line of your boat as possible, the blade 
 being turned to such an angle as will tend to press the paddle 
 against the side of the boat, and just sufficient to insure a 
 steady motion in a right line. The paddle can be used to the 
 best advantage v/hen on your knees, or one knee, or sitting on 
 the extreme stem, and trimming your boat so the bow won't 
 stick up too high out of water. 
 
 To pole a hunting or fishing boat, take your position as near 
 tne stern as ycu can and trim your boat well. Stand with your 
 
129 
 
 left foot forward, about as you do to shoot from a trap, oi as a 
 pugilist stands in boxing. This position is the firmest, and will 
 enable you to lean over, or rather reach over the side of your 
 boat, if necessary, in poling and giving direction to it in a 
 straight line, without tipping it ; and it will also enable you to 
 drop your pole and catch up your gun and fire without chang- 
 ing your position. 
 
 Always use your pole on the starboard (right-hand) side, 
 except when there is a stiff wind blowing across your line of 
 progress ; in such a case it is much easier to use your pole on 
 the side opposite to the wind. 
 
 Take your pole in your right hand, near where it will balance, 
 swing it well forward to a perpendicular position, stop it with 
 the left hand just below the right, and let it slip rapidly to the 
 bottom, then grasp it with the left hand about twenty inches 
 above the right, slanting a trifle toward the bow and centre of 
 the boat. Your right hand becomes a fulcrum, and your left a 
 power on a lever; shove with your right hand, at the same time 
 use it as a lever to guide your boat at will; then bring your 
 right hand above your left, making the left hand the fulcrum 
 and the right the lever power, to guide your boat, and when the 
 pole is "exhausted" by a final hard push with your left hand 
 on the knob, and your right below it ; then with a quick motion 
 of the right hand, throw the pole forward, catching it deftly 
 with the left and right near the centre, or near where it will 
 balance, as at first, and repeat the process, with grace and ease, 
 and your boat will glide on in a straight line, or turn to the 
 right or left, at your will, as you use your lever power properly 
 to that end. You let the pole slip through your hands until it 
 strikes the bottom, of course, still keeping your hands in their 
 relative position for shoving and guiding the boat. To turn 
 your boat sharp to the right, " brace' ^ with the pole, almost at 
 right angles with the boat; to the left, "paw," always remem- 
 bering that with both hands on the pole about twenty inches 
 apart, it is always a lever to guide the boat at will. When 
 
130 
 
 properly used the pole, in skilled hands, becomes a substitute 
 for wind, tiller and rudder, in propelling and guiding your 
 boat. 
 
 Never stand stiff and rigid in your boat, especially if it be 
 light and tottlish ; but stand easy, limber, and with your knees • 
 a little bent. 
 
 To stop your boat suddenly when under full headway, set your 
 pole quickly well forward, and as near in a parallel line with 
 the line of progress as you can by reaching, without tipping 
 your boat ; place the right hand uppermost as a power, and the- 
 left twenty inches below as a fulcrum ; you can then stop your 
 boat without its swinging around or sliding off or away from 
 your line of progress, and be leady to start on again at once and 
 in the same direction. 
 
 All this may appear trifling to some, and very easy to all ; but 
 it is safe to say, not one in one thousand can, with grace and 
 ease, pole a boat in a straight line in smooth water, to say 
 nothing about poling it up a rapid stream. To do this it abso- 
 lutely requires some skill and a good deal of practice. 
 
 The unskilled make additional labor, by constantly changing 
 their pole from side to side, as the boat at every shove yaws to 
 the right or left, and never moving in a straight line. With a 
 little patience and practice, you can keep your pole all the time 
 on one side, and make your boat glide along straight and grace- 
 fully, without any loss of motion or power, or )0U can turn it 
 short and sharp, or at any curve to the right or left, avoiding 
 obstacles, obedient to your will. 
 
131 
 
 Trout Flies. 
 
 Tools and Material for Making ; How to Make Them ; Name, 
 Size and Description of some of the Best for the Months 
 OF May, June, July, August and September, compiled prin- 
 cipally from Hallock and Norris. 
 
 1st, Tools. — Small hand vise ; spring plyers ; pair of scissors, 3!^ 
 in. long, with blades i in. long and 34 '"• wide ; and a pair of light 
 nippers. 
 
 2d. Materials. — Wrapping silk, several grades, the very best, fine 
 and strong. 
 
 Wax — Made as follows : One ounce clean, light rosin, one dram 
 gutta percha, and one teaspoonful of linseed oil (crude) ; heat and stir 
 them well, and pour the hot compound into a bowl of cold water ; when 
 cool enough, "pull it" until light and tough. 
 
 3d. Hooks. — The O'Shaughnessy or improved Limerick for winged 
 flies, the Kirby for palmers and hackles. Nos. 4 to 11 ; No. 6 common. 
 
 4th. Gut. — Fine for stretcher, stout for drop flies. 
 
 5th. Tinsel. — Gold or silver — Dutch metal ; for trout, gold ; for 
 bass, silver, best. 
 
 6th. Bodies. "Dubbing," peacock herl ("harl") or ravelings of 
 "moreen," or pig's wool, seal's wool, or fur of rabbit, squirrel, monkey 
 or other animals ; add to these wrappings oi floss silk. 
 
 7th. Hackles. — (Intended to represent the legs of winged flies, or 
 some imaginary caterpillar insect, or a flying "buzz.") Rump and necK 
 hackle taken from the domestic cock. Various colors are used ; brown 
 or cinnamon best. Wren's tail, ruff of the grouse, snipe, guinea fowl, 
 but the latter are not so good or tough as the cock hackle. 
 
 8th. Wings. — Mallard, teal, red-head, gooseander merganser or 
 sheldrake, wood duck, canvas-back duck, blue-bill, pin-tail, red ibis, 
 golden pheasant and wild turkey. For Salmon flies — English blue jay, 
 guinea fowl, macaw, parrot and golden pheasant are used almost 
 entirely. 
 
 9th. Varnish. — Copal varnish, put on the head of the fly with a light 
 feather. 
 
 TOth. Tails and Feelers. — Mallard, teal, sheldrake, wood duck, 
 golden pheasant, ibis, parrot, macaw, etc. 
 
132 
 
 Mode of Making Flies. 
 
 1st. Tie on to the hook fifteen to eighteen inches of waxed silk for 
 a wrapper, opposite the point of the hook ; wind it five or six times 
 loosely around the shank to the top, and then lay on the gut, on the back 
 of the shank ; wrap closely and tightly down to the point. 
 
 2d. Then fasten in the silk floss or hcrl for the body, securelj' ; then 
 lay the wrapping silk along the shank, loop it over the head of the same, 
 or coil it around the gut to keep it in place while winding on the floss. 
 
 3d. Wind on the floss two-thirds of the way up from the point to 
 the head of the shank, fasten well, and then, 
 
 4th. Tie in the hackle and fasten very securely. 
 
 5th. If winged, then tie on the wings immediately after the gut, or, 
 as some prefer, last of all. 
 
 Generally. — ist, Tie on the gut ; 2d, Tinsel (when used); 3d, 
 Hackle; 4th, " Dubbing" (floss for body); 5th, Wings; observing that 
 generally the material fastened in last is wrapped on first. The tail 
 should be put on after the tinsel, if tinsel be used ; if not, after the gut 
 is tied on. 
 
 Trout Flies believed to be best for the Months named, giving 
 THE Size of the Hooks, and the principal Materials used. 
 
 For J/av. 
 No. of Hook. Name of Fly. Material used. 
 
 Xo. 10 ..... Black May Graj-ish wings. 
 
 " 10 - Cow-dung Yellow wings. 
 
 " 8 and 9- .Great Dun Dark gray wings. 
 
 " 10 __ Coachman White wings. 
 
 " 10 Black, brown and gray palmers No wings. 
 
 For June. 
 No. of Hook. Name of Fly. Materials used. 
 
 No. II Hawthorn Black body, wings bright "hyaline". 
 
 " II Shoemaker T.ody ringed with light gray and salmon; 
 
 feet, dark ginger ; wings, mottled 
 wood duck or mallard. 
 
 " 8 and 9 Dark Stone Fly. _ Body, dark brown ; feet, yellow-brown; 
 
 wings, bittern. 
 
 " 10 ...Governor Body, peacock herl ; wings, bittern — 
 
 darkest. 
 
133 
 
 No. of Hook. Name of Fly. Materials used. 
 
 No. 7 Green Drake Bod)', white and black; dark brown 
 
 hackle. 
 " 9 Wren Fly Body, clay color ; feet, wren or quail ; 
 
 wings, wood duck, mallard or 
 
 widsreon. 
 
 For July, 
 
 No. 12 Little Egg 
 
 ..Body and feet, bright orange or yellow; 
 wings, bright hyaline. 
 
 lo Lightning Bug ._ Bod)', dark brown or black; wings, 
 
 double, inner, black; outer, yellow- 
 brown. 
 
 9 Claret Fly.- Body, dark claret; feet, black; wings, 
 
 brown hen. 
 
 For August and Septe7nber. 
 
 • 
 
 Nos. lo and il-.Gray Coflin ... Body, silver-gray mohair ; hackle, light 
 
 gray ; wings, hyaline. 
 " lo and II --Brown Coflin ..Bod)', gray and light claret mohair 
 
 mixed ; hackle, dark .gray ; wings, 
 gray, hyaline. 
 
 " 7 and 8 White Moth Body and wings, pure white. 
 
 " 8 and 9 Stone Fly Bod)', dark brown; wings, bittern 
 
 feathers ; feet; yellow. 
 
 \,YSt OF "Taking" Trout Flies, with Size of Hook. 
 
 Name of Fly. No. Hook. 
 
 Green Drake No. 6 
 
 Gray Drake " 7 
 
 Professor " 5 
 
 Governor - " 10 
 
 Yellow May " 10 
 
 Camel Brown. _ " 7 
 
 Ginger Hackle " 8 
 
 Stone Fly " 7 
 
 Red Fox " 7 
 
 Alder Fly " 10 
 
 Red Ant " 8 
 
 March Brown " 8 
 
 Name of Fly. No. Hook. 
 
 Little Ibis _.Ko. 13 
 
 Golden Queen " 12 
 
 Red Ibis " 7 
 
 Queen of the Water " 7 
 
 Fern Fly " 8 
 
 King Fisher " 7 
 
 Orange Fly " 12 
 
 Brown Shiner. — " 8 
 
 Black May " 8 
 
 Black Fly " 12 
 
 Wren " 8 
 
 Brown Grat " 8 
 
134 
 
 Name of Fly. No. Hook. 
 
 White Moth _. No. 7 
 
 Dun Drake " 6. 
 
 Coachman " JO 
 
 Soldier Palmer " 8 
 
 Name of Fly. No. Hook. 
 
 AshFly No. 8 
 
 Golden Pheasant " 6 
 
 Yellow Fox " 8 
 
 Claret Grat " 10 
 
 And many others too numerous to mention. 
 
 Approximate Weights of Trout according to their Lengths. 
 
 BY HALLOCK, 
 
 Length, Weight, 
 Inches. Lbs. oz. 
 
 8 — 4 
 
 9— 4M 
 
 10. ■-_ 6^ 
 
 II --- 9 
 
 12 11^ 
 
 13 14^4 
 
 14 - I iM 
 
 15 I 6 
 
 16 I loj^ 
 
 17 I 15% 
 
 18-- 2 6 
 
 19..- 2 I2\4 
 
 Length, Weight, 
 
 Inches. Lbs. oz. 
 
 20. 3 4 
 
 21 --.3 12^ 
 
 22 - - 4 SM, 
 
 23- 4 15M 
 
 24 -- 5 loj^ 
 
 25 - -- 6 s% 
 
 26 --- 7 zH 
 
 27-. -. 8 o 
 
 28.- - --- 8 15 
 
 29 9 14M 
 
 30- 10 15 
 
135 
 
 Supposing Weights of Trout and Salmon are as Cubes 
 OF Lengths. 
 
 Whole Length. 
 
 Nose to Tail. 
 
 Tail. 
 
 Weight. 
 
 Inches. 
 
 Inches. 
 
 Inches. 
 
 Lbs. oz. 
 
 8 
 
 6.956 
 
 1.044 
 
 2.6 
 
 10 
 
 8.696 
 
 1.304 
 
 5-1 
 
 12 
 
 10-435 
 
 1-565 
 
 8.7 
 
 14 
 
 12.174 
 
 1.826 
 
 139 
 
 i6 
 
 13-913 
 
 2.087 
 
 I 4.8 
 
 17 
 
 14-782 
 
 2 218 
 
 I 9 
 
 i8 
 
 15-653 
 
 2.347 
 
 r 13.5 
 
 20 
 
 17.400 
 
 2.600 
 
 2 8.5 
 
 24 
 
 20.870 
 
 3-130 
 
 4 6.0 
 
 345 
 
 30.000 
 
 4.500 
 
 13- 
 
 39.827 
 
 34.632 
 
 5-195 
 
 20. 
 
 45-591 
 
 39645 
 
 5-946 
 
 3°- 
 
 50.171 
 
 43-625 
 
 6.546 
 
 40. 
 
 54-079 
 
 47-025 
 
 7054 
 
 50. 
 
 57-441 
 
 49-950 
 
 7-491 
 
 60. 
 
 60 470 
 
 52.581 
 
 7.889 
 
 70. 
 
 . 63 222 
 
 54-975 
 
 8247 
 
 80. 
 
 63.800 
 
 54-43J 
 
 8.369 
 
 82. 
 
136 
 
 Fish Hooks. 
 
 As many may wish to make their own flies, a proper selection 
 of hooks will be an important item. They will have the Lim- 
 erick, the Kirby and the Proat hooks, as the best to select from. 
 The O'Shaughnessy or the improved Limerick, which by many 
 sportsmen are considered the best, are graded as follows : 
 
137 
 
 g 
 o 
 
 o 
 ij 
 >-l 
 o 
 X 
 
138 
 
 In fly-fishing for trout, three to five flies are used on a casting 
 line of strong, even gut from seven to nine feet long. The end 
 hooks or stretchers should generally be of the size from No. i to 
 No. 5 inclusive ; for the first dropper, next to the end fly, from 
 No. 6 to No. 9 inclusive ; and for the upper dropper, or nearest 
 fly to you, from No. 9 to No. 14 inclusive. Of course this 
 selection will be varied according to the character of the 
 stream or lake to be fished. 
 
 For salmon or bass flies, from i|„, small, to ^1,,, large, may 
 be used, but '|„ to *|„ (inclusive} are recommended as best, 
 and large enough to hold the biggest and most gamy salmon or 
 black bass. 
 
 The Kirby hooks are graded similar to the Limerick, from 
 5|o to '|o, large, and from No. i to No. 15, small. 
 
 The snoods should be of even, round gut, not more than five 
 inches in length, including the loops. Long snoods are apt to 
 wind and tangle about the line. 
 
 The improved Limerick and Proat are said to be the best for 
 winged flies, and the Kirby for palmers.