Guns That Were Good

The following letter from C. Worcéster, A. B., the well-known Assistant Professor of Zoology and Curator of the Zoological Museum at the Michigan üniversity, Ann Arbor, will be read with a great deal of interest by every sportsman: Ann Arbor, Mieh., Feb. S, 189G. Parker Bros,, Meriden, Conu.: Gentlemen- I have long intended to write you my experience witb your süotguns, tbiaking it inight be of some interest to you. I was a member of the Steere Scientitie Expedition to the Philippine Islands, in ÍS87-18S8, and used one of your $G5 guns for collecting. The Philippiues, as you are doubtless aware, He wholly witliin the tropics, reaching to within five degrees of the equator. By using different loads I killed everything froin sun-birds (the size of our humming-birds) to monkeys, deer and wild hogs. Much of my shooting was done with extremely heavy charges; the cliinate was such that in spite of every piecaution gun would turn red with rust over night; my gun was in daily use; in the rainy season it was alternately soaked and roasted, and 1 had numerous nasty falls, giving the gun some severe knocks, but at the end of a year the gun was as good, if not as handsome, a wben I bought it. ïwo other members of this expedition shot Parker guns, which gave perfect I satisfaction. Other guns, subjected to precisely the same treatment, feil to pieees, the heat and moisture causing the woodwork to warp and split. The Ménage Scientific Expeditlon, 1890-1893, conducted by Mr. Frank S. Bourns and myself, took only Parker shotguns. Twc of our four guns were Dew, two were guns left over frorn out first trip. All fonr were used daily for two years and eigbt months for eollectlng, in the Philippines and Borneo, bnt at the end of Ihis most severe test were perfectly tight, and seemed to snoot as hard and close as ever. I sold oue of my guns béfore starting for América for more than it cost me. The other I gave to a friend who had taken rue in while down with typhoid fever, and I doubt not that both are doing gond service yet. The shootinsr rnwlitios of yóur gnns n(f'd no endorsement fvom anyoDe. I fitil to fice how wearing qtialities fnuid nosciblv be put to n severer test. No one who h:is not colicPted intropipal jiingloa oan onderstand how severe tb tft was. Very tmlj y 'isnjpf1 DÉAN e 1I5STKR. Tliis is èertiini.y v.efy stroni testimony. and coming from a man of the pvpp'-tpnee ond iudgment of Prof. Worcester, its value is placed beyond cavi]. Xo more seveiv lest l):'s ever iio'-n given than that dpscribed aboye. Whllp otber guns feit to pieees. the Parker guns stood the tost without i !,!■(■;!!. Furtlier coninient on 1lie superior excellence of Parker gnns would seem to be superfluous.