IN THEORY AND PRACTICE 
2r 
three-tenths of a second at 70 yds., and a Httle less at 60 yds. ; 
at 50 yds. the interval is too short to be recorded. At 40 yds. 
there is still an interval, but so sHght a one that it is very difficult 
to detect it. At ordinary game-shooting ranges of from 25 to 
28 yds., I consider it is impossible for the quickest hearing to 
detect the instantaneous sound of a few pellets of shot rattling 
against a bird, before the rattling reverberation caused by the 
gun's discharge has ceased in the ear. Anyone who takes the 
trouble to calculate the velocity of shot and sound, at 25 to 
28 yds., will easily realise there is not time to do so. The 
curious thing is, that if a bird is purposely missed, or there is 
no shot in the cartridge, the same noise, echo or whatever 
it is, may be heard that gives the impression of shot striking 
the game ! Here is a story I can vouch for the truth of, 
which is a good example of what imagination can do in regard 
to the supposed hearing of shot striking. 
The not uncommon discussion of this subject came up one 
night after dinner in the smoking-room of a country house 
among a party of shooters, and it was agreed to test the question 
the following day, the host's gun and cartridges to be used so 
that all might be the same for every one. 
The next morning a salmon-line was attached to the legs of 
a cock pheasant taken from the larder, and the bird was thrown 
over the yard of the flagstaff on the cricket-ground, where it 
hung dangling in mid-air. Twenty-eight yards distance was 
measured. The host fired first. The guests heard nothing, 
and, accusing their friend of having made a clean miss, much 
amusement was caused. Then the guests, A, B, C, D, each 
had a shot in turn. 
A heard nothing. B heard something, but could not say 
whether the sound was caused by his shot striking the bird or 
