502 ON THE ESTIMATION OF 



diameter, which gives 4*8 in. for the unit of our a. This 

 gives as a general average, 644 misses per 1000 shots; 

 and therefore were the distances all alike, or for an 

 average distance of 80 yards, would correspond to a 

 value of a in our table, of very nearly 6, or to a mean 

 probable deviation of a single shot, of 30-4 in. ; the 

 total number of competitors being 2075 (reckoning the 

 same individual appearing in several lists as so many 

 distinct competitors), shooting at 430 targets. As the 

 causes of linear deviation may be considered as increas- 

 ing proportionally to the distance, and as in fixing the 

 average distance as above at 80 yards, (strictly 79-1,) the 

 number of arrows discharged at each distance is taken 

 into account ; this may be regarded as a fair estimate of 

 our national proficiency in archery, and as comparable, 

 in the terms of its statement, with what may be obtained 

 at a future period, or in other countries. 



(7.) In deducing the results embodied in the follow- 

 ing tables, the numbers of hits made by all the shooters 

 at each target in its several colours were summed 

 separately. The results so obtained for all the targets 

 for each class of shooters, and for each distance, in 

 each year of the series, were then grouped together and 

 summed, and the fifteen sets of annual sums so ob- 

 tained, united into general sums, as exhibited below in 

 Table II., to shorten which it is to be borne in mind 

 that of the lady competitors, 853 in number, each de- 

 livered 96 arrows at 60 yards, and 48 at 50;* and the 



* In the year 1850 the arrows delivered by each lady were only 

 72 and 36 at the same distances. 



