Xorfc IRcnncfcx? 233 



2,000" depending on the result, Mr. Arrowsmith's last 

 bird fell dead just two yards outside the boundary, and 

 the match ended in a tie, each having killed 76. This 

 was at the grounds of the famous Red House Club at 

 Battersea, which in those days vied with the equally 

 celebrated Old Hats Club at Ealing as the ne plus ultra 

 of aristocratic pigeon-shooting. 



In the month of June, 1827, Lord Kennedy shot 

 his great match against " Squire " Osbaldeston for 

 2,000 guineas a side, the terms of which were 100 

 birds each day for four days at 24 yards rise. 

 The "Squire" won by 19 birds ; and how good the 

 shooting was may be gathered from the fact that 

 out of the last hundred Lord Kennedy killed 83 

 and the " Squire " 86. Indeed, with all our modern 

 improvements in gun-making, I doubt whether we have 

 two English pigeon-shots now living who could beat the 

 best records of such cracks as the " Squire " and Captain 

 Ross. The former is credited with 98 out of 100 at 30 

 yards rise, and the latter with 76 out of 80 at the same 

 distance, and 52 out of 53 at 35 yards rise. Mr. Stuart 

 Wortley, indeed, thinks the birds were inferior to those 

 now supplied, but gives no proof in support of that 

 theory. 



With regard to Lord Kennedy's match with the 

 " Squire," the following anecdote will show that his 

 lordship was a " downy cove," up to a trick or two that 

 even the modern shootist would find it hard to improve 

 upon. During the match Lord Kennedy killed twenty- 

 five pigeons consecutively, and Mr. Budd, the celebrated 

 cricketer and all-round sportsman, who was present, 



