5. Should the bullet go to the left, move the sighting bead a trifle along the skein to the left by revolving it in that direction round the cotton on which it is threaded.

6. Should the bullet go to the right, twist the bead along the skein a few turns to the right.

7. If the bullet strikes a good deal too high or too low, look through a peep-hole in the back-sight which is higher or lower than the one you have been using, in order to acquire a proper elevation. A shot too low will be corrected by looking through one of the higher peep-holes in the back-sight, and a shot too high by the use of one of the lower ones.

When you have accurately sighted the crossbow for a range of 25 yards, which is far enough for ordinary rook-shooting and as far as the bow will kill with certainty, fix the sights beyond alteration.

To do this, wrap a little fine waxed silk on each side of the sighting bead to keep it from being accidentally moved, and fill in with beeswax all the peep-holes in the back-sight except that which you find is the correct one to aim through.

When the sighting mechanism and string of the bullet crossbow are properly adjusted, you should be able to hit a playing card eight times out of ten at from 20 to 25 yards.

I have many times brought down six rooks from the tops of fairly tall trees in six consecutive shots with one of these weapons. The absence of all noise on the part of the crossbow, will allow you to go quietly into a rookery and kill a number of young birds before the old ones become alarmed.

If held at an angle of 45 degrees, a good bullet crossbow will throw a 1/2 oz. lead bullet to an extreme range of 300 yards, and if shot at a metal target at 20 yards, more than half of the bullet will be flattened. The weapon can easily be made ready and then aimed and discharged, four times in a minute.

To preserve the bow-string of the crossbow, be sure to keep it well rubbed with beeswax. At any part where the string is inclined to fray, wind some waxed silk tightly round to keep it together. If the bow-string is properly made it should last for a score of years in frequent use.

The bow of a bullet crossbow being comparatively slight and much bent when its string is stretched, it should never be kept in this condition for longer than a few minutes at a time. It is better to discharge the weapon into the ground (you then save the bullet), than to keep its bow too long in a state of tension and thus run the risk of straining it.

The best method of taking about the crossbow when chances of shots