The other equipment required is an arm guard or bracer with straps, cut out of one piece of brown leather,—the leather bracers lined with silk having elastic fastenings are no good—and a belt with a quiver to hold six arrows, as the first shooter at a target at a big meeting should always have six arrows to shoot with, to avoid delay in the beginning. On this belt should hang a tassel for wiping dirty arrows, a pencil and scoring book, a little bag containing glove, extra string, a piece of wax and some silk to whip the bow string when necessary. It is also useful to have a knife, and a pair of scissors.

As to the question of gloves or tips, I always recommend a kid glove, a size larger than the ordinary wear, with pieces of smooth leather—not soft or spongy—neatly sewn on to the three first fingers, care being taken not to put the leather below the first joint of the finger. Many people, however, shoot with either knuckle or screw tips, which are bought ready made of the bow maker. If tips are used they should fit the fingers accurately, all three being of the same thickness. It is important to have two gloves or sets of tips for shooting in case of accident, and they should be exactly alike. Other necessaries are a waterproof bag for bow, and a wooden box with spaces for arrows.

The usual distances shot by women are sixty and fifty yards, four dozen arrows at sixty yards and two dozen at fifty yards, being what is called the National Round. Of late, shooting at seventy yards has been re-introduced, six dozen arrows at that distance followed by four dozen at sixty yards and two dozen at fifty yards, being named the Hereford Round.

The targets are four feet in diameter and are made of twisted bands of wheat straw fastened together with tar cord, then covered with painted canvas. There are five concentric rings painted on them, the centre gold, which scores nine, the red seven, blue five, black three, and white one, and in scoring, the arrow counts as being in the highest colour which it touches. The targets are supported by iron or wooden stands, the centre of the target being four feet from the ground, and slightly tilted back. They should not be placed at the exact distance it is intended to shoot at, but from two to four yards further back, a mark being placed in the ground at the correct distance for the archer to stand on, and no one should be allowed to stand in front of the targets except the archer who is actually shooting. It is important that quiet should be maintained behind the target, and archers, especially at public meetings, should assist the captain, whose duty it is to see that order is kept.

The ground should be as level and smooth as possible, and the targets should be placed exactly opposite each other; if more than one pair are in use, the ground will require squaring, in order that the pairs may be exactly opposite each other.

The directions given for the position for shooting hold good at all distances, and no alteration ought to be made with the exception that the left hand must be raised higher at the longer distance, greater elevation being required in order to obtain a sufficiently high flight. It is a great mistake to draw to a different place on the face, or not to draw the arrow fully up, at the shorter distance. Always draw the arrow till the pile reaches the bow and your hand the right place, viz., under your right jaw below the axis of vision of the right eye.

Having described most of the details to be attended to, we now come to the all important subject of how to shoot. I must first of all impress on all beginners that it is absolutely necessary there should be nothing on the dress which could by any means catch or interfere with the string. Nothing is more suitable than a plain tailor-made dress, or a skirt and blouse, the latter with no frills. The sleeves should be sufficiently easy to allow the elbow perfect play without being too large. In putting on the bracer care should be taken to keep the sleeve smooth, any fulness being drawn to the back of the arm, and the top of the sleeve pinned back out of the way.

Standing. Take up your position on the shooting spot, with feet six or eight inches apart, standing easily in an upright position, with the shoulders in a direct line between the targets. Care should be taken that the knees are perfectly straight, the balance of the body being on the heels, and the position of the shoulders must be obtained by moving the feet and not by twisting the body.

Nocking. The bow to be held in a perpendicular position, between the second knuckle of the first finger and the ball of the thumb of the left hand. The main grasp of the bow should be in the upper part of the hand, the other fingers being held close to the bow. The test as to whether you are holding the bow correctly is to drop the left arm by the side, the wrist being quite straight, and if the string touches the bracer, the position of the bow in the hand is not correct. The nocking is to be accomplished by bringing the arrow over the bow, which should be held directly in front, and fitting it on the nocking place, remembering to keep the cock feather—i.e., the one which is at right angles to the nock—uppermost, and not to alter the grasp of the bow until after all three arrows have been shot. Place the three fingers of the right hand evenly on the string, and do not pinch the arrow with the first finger, otherwise it will fall off the left hand at the moment of drawing. The right wrist should be held straight.

Drawing. The usual position of archers before they actually begin to draw, is with the left elbow bent just above the hip, the bow being perpendicular, but to speak from my own experience, I find it better to hold the bow easily in the hand with the left elbow straight, though without stiffness, raising both arms simultaneously on a level with the point of aim. Then draw in a straight line with the target, till the pile of the arrow comes on to the bow, and the right hand with the fingers bent, is held in such a position that the thumb is pressed against the throat below the jaw and under the axis of vision of the right eye. The left arm should be straight but not rigid, the final grasp of the bow being made directly the aim is taken. The head must be erect, and turned towards the point of aim. The body should be erect and the weight thrown as much as possible on the heels. A common fault I have noticed with young archers, is to draw the right hand too high and rest it outside the jaw instead of underneath it. This should be guarded against. Bring the pile of the arrow on to the point of aim immediately, keeping the right elbow up as you do so and the shoulders pressed back. Every care, too, should be taken that the arrow does not "creep," i.e., that it is not allowed to slip forward on the bow.

Aiming. To aim correctly the archer should see the point of the arrow covering the point of aim. By "the point of aim" I mean some given spot on the target or ground, the height of which must be found by each archer for herself, as it is governed by so many things, such as difference in sight, height, weight, and cast of bow or arrow, etc., etc. If the archer finds that she has persistently to aim to the right or left of the target, there being no wind, it is a proof that something in her position, draw, or loose is incorrect, i.e. that she does not stand with shoulders in line with the targets, or that she does not keep her right hand in the proper position, or again that she does not loose the arrow evenly from all three fingers at once. I must caution every young archer against the terrible habit of merely glancing at the target and then loosing the arrow, without taking proper aim. Very many archers who have asked my advice on decreasing scores or inability to hit the target have had really no clear idea of any aim whatever. They "think they aim at the top of the target," perhaps, but by a system of catechising I discover that such is actually not the case, and until a real firm point of aim is found and known to the archer—though an occasional good score may be fluked—no lasting progress will be made. Therefore as soon as you have learnt to draw up properly, make it your next study to find your point of aim, and remember that this will vary with different bows and according to the direction of the wind, and also according to whether the atmosphere be heavy or light.

Loosing. Remember that the grip of the left hand on the bow must not give, nor the tension of the muscles be relaxed, until after the arrow has left the string. Keep the right hand tight to its place, with the thumb pressed under the jaw beneath the axis of vision of the right eye, taking care not to relax the pull on the string until the moment of release, or the arrow will creep. The release is effected by drawing the fingers back evenly towards the thumb, and the hand must on no account leave the face while this is being done, nor must it drop down or follow the string in ever so slight a degree. The wrist must be straight and the elbow well up. After the release keep up the bow hand and retain the right hand in its place till the arrow has reached its destination, then drop the right hand easily and without hurry, preparatory to nocking the next arrow. Nothing is more ugly or more likely to unsettle you than any flurry or undue haste.

It is well to warn beginners that great care must be taken of all the archer's equipment. If the bow or arrows at any time get wet, they should be carefully dried and the bow should not be replaced in its waterproof case for some time. The feathers of the arrows can be restored after being wet by passing them quickly backwards and forwards above a jug of boiling water. Neither bow nor arrows should be put near the fire. They should be kept in a dry even temperature.

It is a good thing if a beginner can find a friend who is able and willing to correct her and help her to overcome some of the faults into which she is almost certain to fall. But great care should be taken in the selection of this coach, and even after the beginner has obtained some degree of proficiency, she ought to be very careful whose opinion she takes as to her shooting. I have met many young archers who will ask anybody at the same target "if they would kindly tell them any faults they see in their shooting." But such general advice will do little good, for some people cannot detect a fault when it is there, much less describe it with any accuracy, and some again imagine faults which do not actually exist. Too many instructors thus spoil the archer, who will get hopelessly muddled with all the advice given her, and will often alter what she should leave alone, and not correct her real faults.

The amount of nonsense heard on the archery field on the subject of "why that arrow did not go in" is to the old hand most entertaining, and to the young one extremely confusing. But I would give this advice to all beginners: strive to preserve an even temperament in all conditions of your shooting. Do not get too jubilant and excited when you make either a pin hole or three reds or golds at one end, and when it happens, as it certainly will, that what you believe to be three beautifully shot arrows fall exactly underneath the centre of the target, do not give way to any irritation of temper or manner, or your succeeding arrows will be affected. I know many archers who when they want to compete for any coveted challenge badge do not put down or add up their score, but I have always found when I tried this plan that ignorance cannot be kept up on one's score, as some kind friend will always come up and congratulate you on a dozen of eighty, or condole on one of thirty, and then you get more flustered than if you had known all there was to know. You should always endeavour to preserve a quite equable temperament even in great success until the round is over, and not go chattering all round the target as to what you have done or not done, for this upsets other competitors at your target, and does you no good.

To form a Club. An experienced archer knows well how to get a club formed if there are enough archers to subscribe to it, but for the beginner to start one is more difficult. Having first selected a ground, which should be about 80 yards in length, the width being proportionate to the number of targets it is intended to put up, and obtained targets and stands, fix one day and hour in the week for your club meeting, on which you can all meet and shoot your Club National Round. The subscription should not be high, and when the members get numerous, an entrance fee can be charged. Have a little paper pamphlet of rules based on those of the Grand National, or any well-known club founded on those principles. As soon as your members make scores of over a hundred, divide them into classes, and when you get members to join who can make first rate scores, let your classes be as follows:

Have all targets pitched so as to begin your round punctually on your Club day, and begin by shooting the four dozen at sixty yards. When this is over, if tea is provided it is a pleasant rest, and then you will shoot the two dozen at fifty yards. It is a good thing to get some experienced archers to join a young club, and the system of classes will prevent their taking the beginners' prizes when the club has got on far enough to start a prize meeting. Prizes are usually given for best score in each class, and best gold. When men join the club, they must either shoot altogether at one target, or they must shoot at eighty yards at each end before the women shoot at sixty. Admission to a club is generally made by a proposer and seconder writing the name of a candidate to the Secretary, and having it entered in the candidates' book, which is put on the table for two meetings of the club. If a ballot should be demanded the members will all vote, and one blackball will exclude. When the club is well on its legs, I am an advocate for getting up a match with a neighbouring club, and I am also very much in favour of asking visitors to shoot at the prize meetings—a little prize for visitors adds to the amusement—it creates interest in the young club, and often gives the members opportunities of seeing good shooting.

After each weekly club meeting, the scores, hits, and golds of the members at every distance should be entered in a book kept for that purpose, and any prize won should be marked against the score.

Cordiality is a great element in a club's success. Let each member then take an interest in the scores of her fellow competitors and rejoice in their successes.

With regard to the literature on the subject of archery, the books are numerous and varied, but for all practical purposes it will be sufficient for the beginner to consult Butt's Ford, the Badminton Library Volume of Archery, and No. I. of EncyclopÆdia of Sport. I would recommend to all archers, either beginners or otherwise, to take an annual copy of the Archer's Register, which gives not only the scores of the Public and Club Meetings in England and abroad, but also contains many interesting and instructive articles on the subject.

Ellinor F. Berens.