be equipped for almost every
contingency, and yet not to go to great expense, the very best
course to follow is to buy two good guns, one of the old style of
boring, and the other nearly or quite choked. The first should be
neither heavy nor light--a moderately weighted weapon, upon which
thorough reliance may be placed up to fifty yards, and that under
favourable circumstances may kill much farther. Choose it with care,
pay a fair price for it, and adhere to it. This gun, with a little
variation in the charge, will suit almost every kind of shooting,
from snipe to pheasant. The choke-bore is the reserve gun, in case
of specially long range and great penetration being required. It
should, perhaps, be a size larger in the bore than the other.
Twelve-bore for the ordinary gun, and ten for the second, will
cover most contingencies. With a ten-bore choke, hares running wild
on hills without cover, partridge coveys getting up at fifty or
sixty yards in the same kind of country, grouse wild as hawks,
ducks, plovers, and wild-fowl generally, are pretty well accessible.
If not likely to meet with duck, a twelve-bore choke will do equally
well. Thus armed, if opportunity offers, you may shoot anywhere in
Europe. The cylinder-bore will carry an occasional ball for a boar,
a wolf, or fallow-deer, though large shot out of the choke will,
perhaps, be more effective--so far, at least, as small deer are
concerned. If you can afford it, a spare gun (old-style boring) is a
great comfort, in case of an accident to the mechanism.

SKATING

The rime of the early morning on the rail nearest the bank is easily
brushed off by sliding the walking-stick along it, and then forms a
convenient seat while the skates are fastened. An old hand selects
his gimlet with the greatest care, for if too large the screw
speedily works loose, if too small the thread, as it is frantically
forced in or out by main strength, cuts and tears the leather. A bad
gimlet has spoilt many a day's skating. Nor should the straps be
drawn too tight at first, for if hauled up to the last hole at
starting the blood cannot circulate, and the muscles of the foot
become cramped. What miseries have not ladies heroically endured in
this way at the hands of incompetent assistants! In half an hour's
time the straps will have worked to the boot, and will bear pulling
another hole or even more without pain. On skates thus fastened
anything may be accomplished.

Always p