liQ SHOOTINXi. 



of plate, purses of gold, &c., &c., to loo shot for. This practice of : 

 pigeon shooting is also common in almost every partof the kingdom, : 

 but in none is it so frequently repeated or so fashionably fojlo^yed : 

 as in and around London. In the counties of Buckinghamshire, : 

 Berkshire, Hampshii-e, and Surrey, it is patronized, where, at this I 

 season of the year, it is in perpetual _ succession at one spot or ' 

 another. Having proceeded thus far in our general account, it ! 

 becomes us now to enter on such description of the sport as may; 

 render it perfectly easy of comprehension to those who have never 

 had an opportunity of beiug present at so eager a struggle for 

 superiority. In direct conformity mth propriety, we advert first j 

 to the match, as it is generally made and decided between a given j 

 number of gentlemen from different clubs opposed to each other, or | 

 members of the same club, when, by tossing up for the fii'st choice, i 

 they continue to choose in rotation till the party is completely 

 formed, which maybe contracted or extended to any number required 

 for the convenience of the company intending to shoot. The match 

 thus made, and the names of the opponents arranged upon paper by 

 the arbiter, the sport begins in the following order : 



"Several dozens of pigeons having been provided for the purpose, 

 are disposed in baskets behind the company, there to wait the 

 destructive crisis, the ' deadly level' that dooms them to instant 

 death, or gives them liberty. A shallow box of about a foot long, 

 and eight or ten inches wide, is sunk in the ground parallel withi 

 the surface, and just tvv^enty-one^ yards from the footmark at whichl 

 each gunner is bound to take aim. The box has a sliding lid, to< 

 which is aifixed a string held by one appointed to the office, wno is; 

 placed next the person gomg to shoot, from whom he takes thei 

 word of command for drawing the string whenever he is ready toi 

 take his aim, another pigeon being so expeditiously placed in thei 

 box for the succeeding shots stands ready (by the runners that, 

 fui-nish the pigeons), that ten, twelve, or fifteen dozen of pigeons 

 are deposited in the box, flown, and shot, in much less time than it 

 is possible to conceive. The gunuer is not permitted to put his 

 gun to his shoulder tiU the bird is on the wing ; and the bird must 

 fall within one hundred yards of the box, or is deemed a lost shot; 

 During this rapid succession (one of each side shooting alternately), 

 the arbiter is employed in pencilling opposite to each name the 

 success of every mdividual, hj A 1, or A ; this, at the end of the 

 match, denotes the superiority, by demonstrating which party hasi 

 killed most pigeons at the least number of shots. Exclusive o*f the 

 general betting upon the match, there is a variety among_ indi-i 

 viduals — the shots of some against others, and the field betting of 

 the bird agaiust the gun, as fancy may prompt, or the reputation 

 of the gunner dictate. He that kills most pigeons in the match, at 

 an equal number of shots with the rest, is by such pre-emiuence 

 the captain of the day, stands elected as chairman for the meethig, 

 and does the offices of the table accordingly. 



" Matches of an inferior description are still more numerous, and 



