PIGEON-SHOOTING. 311 



public contests by reason of my alleged superi- 

 ority, and really see but little or nothing left for 

 me to do save defend the championship. 



Therefore what I advance is prompted solely 

 by considerations for the sport, for the benefit of 

 the clubs, and for the advancement and reward 

 of real skill. There is no other way of absolutely 

 determining which man is the best shot on the 

 day of the contest. I have often killed birds 

 which fell just out of bounds, riddled through and 

 through with shot, and 1 have seen other men do 

 the same. Birds hit like this, with seven or 

 eight shot in each, were lost by a few feet, some- 

 times by a few inches, and I contend that this 

 tape-line rule is against sense, and productive of 

 mischief. I have seen hundreds of birds lost under 

 the operation of it which were as well hit as any 

 birds could be, so far as the skill of the marks- 

 man can go. On the other hand, 1 have seen 

 easy, slow-going birds, just hit with one or two 

 pellets in the wing, recovered amongst much clap- 

 ping of hands and shouting by those who thought 

 they were applauding marksmanship. 



Recently the Buffalo gentlemen, in shooting for 

 the Dean Richmond Cup, had their chance jeopard- 

 ed at one time through three of Mr. Newoll's 



