TRAP-SHOOTING. 295 
be perfectly relied upon, to pull any trap he may 
choose, without notice to the shooter. 
Four or five traps are generally used, placed seve- 
ral feet apart, at twenty-one yards from the score 
in single-bird shooting, and at eighteen yards in 
double-bird shooting. In double-bird shooting the 
two birds are not placed in the same trap, but 
two traps are pulled at the same time. In single- 
bird shooting only one barrel can be discharged at 
one bird; and to save time, the shooter should fire 
at two birds, one after the other, before he leaves 
the score, being thus compelled to use both barrels 
of his gun. 
A bird, to be credited as killed, must be retrieved 
within the bounds—that is to say, must be gathered 
with the hands alone; and it was formerly permitted 
to take him not only on the ground or in the air, 
but from a tree, and the shooter might walk round 
a running bird and drive him towards the trap; but 
more modern rules require that the bird shall fall, and 
shall be proceeded to straight from the score. The 
bounds are eighty yards radius from the centre of the 
traps in single-bird shooting, and one hundred yards 
in double-bird shooting. The distance should be 
measured with a rope, and marked by small flags 
or painted stakes set up in the ground. 
The judges order the shooter to retrieve any bird 
they think proper; and in case there is doubt whe- 
ther a bird was hit, although duly retrieved, they 
must examine and decide, being occasionally com- 
pelled to pick the feathers in order to ascertain. 
