878 Bow -Shooting. 



back till your right thumb touches the upper tip of your right ear ; 

 squeeze the bow-handle powerfully with the left hand, steady ! let 

 drive ! Now, if you have paid good heed to the above directions and 

 have been sure to keep the arrow- nock well on the string, you have 

 made a pretty shot. Do not attempt to take aim. The only way to 

 become a good bow-shot is to learn to guide your shaft by feeling, i. e., 

 by your sense of direction and distance Your eyes must be glued, so 

 to speak, upon the target. This is the one great rule of archery. 



Miscellaneous. 



No home-made bows or target-arrows can half-way equal those 

 beautiful weapons made by Philip Highfield, of London, England ; 

 Messrs. Peck and Snyder, of New York City, are Mr. Highfield's 

 American agents. A letter addressed to them will procure for its 

 writer a catalogue and numbered price-list of archery goods. In 

 purchasing a bow ask for a " gentleman's (or lady's) lemon-wood bow, 

 horn-tipped, plush-handled," stating desired length and strength. I 

 would advise the reader to begin with a rather weak bow. 



For target-arrows order "gentleman's (or lady's) whole-nocked, 

 best-footed, Highfield target- arrows," naming length. 



Targets, made of plaited straw and faced with canvas, may be 

 had of any size from one foot to four feet in diameter. Each archery 

 club will need at least two targets. 



The best shooting gloves are of kid or lisle thread, with close- 

 fitting gauntlet-bands covering the whole fore-arm, thus serving as 

 both glove and arm-guard. I cannot recommend the finger-tips sold 

 as shooting gloves by the dealers. 



To form a club, let any number from six to thirty, gentlemen and 

 ladies associate themselves by a constitution and by-laws taking 

 some appropriate name, and electing their officers, such as master- 

 bowman, secretary, and treasurer. I prefer the title of master-bow- 

 man to that of president, and suggest that societies do not cumber 

 their organizations with too many officers. The master-bowman is, 

 of course, the leader or chief of his band. He settles all disputes 

 between his followers arising on the field or in the hall. The secre- 

 tary and treasurer fill the same places, respectively, that are filled by 

 like officers in other associations or companies. At each shooting, 



