TEAP-SHOOTING. 295 



be perfectly relied upon, to pull any trap he may 

 choose, without notice to the shooter. 



Pour 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 sliooting 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 moderu rules require that the bird shall fall, and 

 shall be proceeded to straight fi-om the score. The 

 bounds are eighty yards radius from the centre of the 

 traps in siugle-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. 



