TRAP-SHOOTING. 295 



be perfectly relied upon, to pull any trap he may 

 choose, without notice to the shooter. 



Four or five traps are generally used, placed seve- 

 ral feet apart, at twenty-one yards from the score 

 in single-bird shooting, and at eighteen yards in 

 double-bird shooting. In double-bird shooting the 

 two birds are not placed in the same trap, but 

 two traps are pulled at the same time. In single- 

 bird shooting only one barrel can be discharged at 

 one bird ; and to save time, the shooter should fire 

 at two birds, one after the other, before he leaves 

 the score, being thus compelled to use both barrels 

 of his gun. 



A bird, to be credited as killed, must be retrieved 

 within the bounds that is to say, must be gathered 

 with the hands alone ; and it was formerly permitted 

 to take him not only on the ground or in the air, 

 but from a tree, and the shooter might walk round 

 a running bird and drive him towards the trap ; but 

 more modern rules require that the bird shall fall, and 

 shall be proceeded to straight from the score. The 

 bounds are eighty yards radius from the centre of the 

 traps in single-bird shooting, and one hundred yards 

 in double-bird shooting. The distance should be 

 measured with a rope, and marked by small flags 

 or painted stakes set up in the ground. 



The judges order the shooter to retrieve any bird 

 they think proper ; and in case there is doubt whe- 

 ther a bird was hit, although duly retrieved, they 

 must examine and decide, being occasionally com- 

 pelled to pick the feathers in order to ascertain. 



