160 A Sportsman at Large 



doesn't it ?), who afterwards won the Grand Prix de Casino, 

 and thus became an " Immortal," and " Bobby " Boreel, a 

 genuine and hearty Dutchman, who, as a sportsman, out- 

 Britoned the most enthusiastic Britisher ! 



It was arranged to shoot at a hundred birds (twenty-five 

 each corner) at twenty-eight metres. I agreed to this readily 

 enough, as my long-distance shooting had by this time greatly 

 improved. 



The match was decided at " Le Cercle des Patineurs.," in 

 the Bois de Boulogne, Paris. It was a close struggle, and 

 although the birds had been specially selected, and were 

 therefore of Ai quality, precious few lived to coo the tale in 

 the pigeon loft. 



This was the result : 



Capt. Harding Cox (Great Britain) 23 out of 25 \ , , 



E. Alan Robinson 21 ,, ,, J 



Count O'Brien (Spain) 22 1 , 



Jonkeer R. Boreel (Holland) 21 ) 3 O1 



The closeness of the contest encouraged our opponents 

 to challenge us to a return match. It came off a few days 

 later, and this is how it panned out : 



E. Alan Robinson (Great Britain) 22 out of 25 1 , _, 



Capt. Harding Cox 21 } 43 out of 5 



Count O'Brien (Spain) 21 | 



Jonkeer R. Boreel (Holland) 20 / 4 1 out of 5<> 



So, on the second occasion, Bizzy and I slightly increased 

 our lead. 



Our challenge remained open, but there was no further 

 response. 



This has always puzzled me, since I am confident that 

 any country could have found a brace of pigeon shots who 

 would have simply " knocked spots out of us ; " whilst 

 dozens of mixed combinations could have beaten us to a 

 frazzle, and so lowered our inordinate vanity and conceit. 

 A propos Bizzy Robinson and his one and only effective eye, 

 an incident occurred which was grimly humorous, though it 

 may appear rather banal in the telling. 



It was our custom each morning, whilst the Robinsons were 



