against is Mr. Bell's WINESOUR. This colt ran amazingly well last season, although notoriously unfit. His beating A British Yeoman proved him to be a superior two-year-old. I may as well hint here that Mr. Bell has another Derby colt called BLACKDROP, about whom report "tells a flattering tale:" therefore, to prevent mistakes and disappointments, I say, back them together. Heseltine's Stable is always a bad one to be heavily against.

Of these I enter

Kent's lot consists of CAPER and CORNOPeon. tain but a mean opinion. Gaper's running for the Criterion tells us that he had a good turn of speed; and his two Spring Newmarket races the first particularly-proved him to be in high force. Of Cornopeon I can only say, that unless he be most wonderfully improved since last Goodwood Meeting, his chance is as remote as remote can be, The 2000gs. Stakes will test the merits of his capabilities. Should he beat the Northern crack, oh crikey!

Two or three real knowing ones have put the pot on to some tune about GAMECOCK, the property of Mr. Taylor of Bretby, and in consequence the said Gamecock figures now in the first class of the favorites. The Knight-of-the-Whistle (Gamecock's trial horse) winning so cleverly at Croxton Park was no doubt the actual cause of Gamecock's advancement; but it is always hazardous to be too nutty on horses about which you only know by report-the colt's blood is good enough to win.

The LANGUISH COLT may run well, but his race at Chester will enable his backers to see which way the cat is likely to jump.

In conclusion, I must say, that I stand upon A British Yeoman (if well), Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Newcourt, and Winesour.

As Scott's lot is enveloped in so much darkness, it is impossible to say what changes may occur during the little month; but I should not be surprised to find Parthian a rattling favorite on the day.

FLY-FISHING ON THE WHARFE.

Engraved by BACKSHELL from a Painting by LEES.

THE Wharfe, from whose scenery we have drawn the subject of our plate, presents numerous opportunities for the Sportsman, who with rod and pencil can, if he be so inclined, contrive to make a tour along its banks agreeable by thus combining the utile et dulce. The mossgrown ruins of Bolton Abbey are within good bow-shot of the Wharfe, whose trout doubtless furnished many a lenten entertainment for the jolly Carmelites who pattered masses for the soul of their pious founder, Lord Gray of Codnor. The ruins of the Abbey, which are extensive, are surrounded by scenery celebrated for its surpassing beauty, being composed of a variety of picturesque objects so arranged as to constitute an almost perfect landscape. Where the river runs through Kettle Dale and the country on its other branch, the scenery is beautiful and highly gratifying, and many a good creel of fish has rewarded the skilful wielder of the rod.

THE SPORTSMAN IN CANADA.

BY FREDERIC TOLFREY, ESQ.

AUTHOR OF "THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE."

cap

can be

AND now for a word about Guns. Some respectable middle-aged sportsmen, the "Quidnuncs" of what is termed the Old School, are pleased to affirm that the flint-guns of their day-I presume their retrospections carry them as far back as thirty years since-shot stronger and consequently killed at greater distances than the copperdoubles of the present enlightened age. With all due submission to these venerable bigots, who wear cotton-shirts and put their drawers on in bed, I take leave to state that I cannot admit the justice, and I might go the length of adding the truth, of the observation. I am getting into the "sear and yellow leaf" myself, seeing that I was ushered into this sinful world towards the latter end of the year 1794, and having served my apprenticeship under the flint-and-steel dynasty, and when out of my time made myself master of the copper-cap system, I may be permitted, by reason of the experience acquired in the ardent pursuit of a favorite amusement, to give an opinion on the relative merits of the two systems, if such a term as relative merits applied where comparison is out of the question. When one hears a sexagenarian disciple of the Old School make the startling assertion that the flint-lock is superior to the percussion principle, one naturally asks oneself a few questions, and the first of these would be, upon what basis does the old gentleman found his opinion? Here is the question; but where is the answer? This I suspect would be rather difficult to find. We all know that a flint-lock is manufactured with an encumbrance termed a pan, which, to those of my more juvenile Readers who have never shot with any other than a percussion-gun, may be compared in appearance to the paddle-boxes of a steam-boat. This pan is or was the receptacle for the priming, which being ignited (every now and then) by means of intermittent sparks from the flint, communicated through the touch-hole with the charge of powder in the chamber of the barrel. But where was this said perforation termed touch-hole? Why, in every gun that was turned out of hand thirty years ago, exactly where it should not have been-introduced into the centre of the charge of powder. What was the consequence? Simply this from half the charge lying before the orifice through which the ignition was communicated, and the other half behind it, the powder on exploding had a two-fold office to perform-a struggle for escape right and left, at the back and front door; and by this double action, if I may so term it, and not finding egress at the breech, an extra degree of recoil was the result, and because the gun kicked, as the phrase goes, the idea was doubtless entertained that it shot stronger. Now it is notorious that the weakest shooting guns recoil or kick more than any others. I can readily imagine that a man who had been VOL. I.-THIRD SERIES, N S.-No, 5,

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accustomed for the first fifteen or twenty years of his shooting existence to use the flint-and-steel would find himself marvellously puzzled on taking the field with a gun mounted on the copper-cap principle. The distance he had been accustomed to allow himself in firing before his birds would infalliably cause him to miss every feather he aimed at ; and as disappointment, if not disgust, would as infallibly ensue, it is possible, that, without giving the new system a fair and patient trial, the old family slow-coach double-barrel has been resumed. The veteran sportsman, therefore, because he has missed shots with an implement of superior and quicker power-which shots would have told with unerring effect with his old trusty, rusty, fusty fowling-piece-stigmatizes the novel invention, of the merits of which he has not made himself master, by roundly asserting that a flint-gun will carry further than a percussion. In nineteen cases out of twenty this is idle prejudice. As far as reason and common sense can guide us, I am of opinion that of the two the copper-cap ought to be the harder-hitting and the bettercarrying gun. I have paid some attention to and bestowed some pains upon this subject, and my experience has enabled me to come to the conclusion, that a thoroughly well-made double by a first-rate workman on the percussion principle does carry further and will kill longer shots if held straight than any gun on the old flint-and-steel plan. I have owned, from the year 1812 up to the present time, seven guns in all. The first was a little single by Grierson of Bond Street (flint); the second, a double by Sykes of Oxford (ditto); the third, a little double covert-gun by Smith, now of Princes Street, then of Lisle Street; the fourth, a double by old Joe Manton, then of Edwards Street, Portman Square, made in 1817, with two sets of locks, flint-and-steel and percussion; the fifth, by Standenmeyer of Cockspur Street (altered to copper-cap); the sixth, by John Manton of Dover Street (copper-cap); and the seventh, by Westley Richards (copper-cap and his patent primer). It will be seen that I have afforded myself ample opportunity for trying both systems; and I can unhesitatingly assert that not one of the flintguns (and they were top-sawyers in their day) shot a yard further, if so far, as the copper-caps; and of the whole seven, the last, by Westley Richards, is the strongest and quickest-shooting gun by many degrees, and I will back it against any flint-and-steel double of old Joe Manton's palmy days that ever was turned out of his justly-celebrated establish

ment.

The grand "desideratum," as far as my humble judgment goes, is so to construct barrels as that the orifice communicating ignition may be placed at the extreme end of the breech or chamber; for the nearer the inflammable material which causes explosion is introduced to the hinder grains of powder, the greater will be the impetus given to the discharge, as it will not only acquire additional strength, but the force will be more equable as well as sudden. This I suspect to be the principal secret of Westley Richards's guns shooting stronger and sharper than any others; and if any of my Readers will take the trouble of paying a visit to that worthy and honest prelate, the "Bishop" of Bond Street, who is the appointed and approved agent for the sale of Mr. Richards's guns, they will have an opportunity of seeing some of the most perfect specimens of workmanship, and of examining the