archery

[Eng. archer; -y.] 1. The employment of the bow and arrows in battle, in hunting, or for other purposes. The art is of great antiquity. It is mentioned in Gen. xxi. 20, and in the Iliad and the Ody ey, besides being depicted on Egyptian monuments and A yrian sculptures. The Philistines seem to have excelled in it, which caused David to i ue orders that special instruction and training in it should be imparted to the Hebrews (2 Sam. i. 18). There were archers in both the Greek and Roman armes. In England, up to the time when gunpowder came into general use, the archers constituted some of the most formidable soldiers in the English army, several of the battles won over the Scots having been gained by their surpa ing skill in the use of the bow. The weapon first employed was the arbalest, or cro -bow [ARBALEST]; afterwards the long bow supplanted it, the change taking place some time before the reign of Edward II. The Scottish "Royal Company of Archers" still claim the right of acting as the Sovereign's body-guard in Scotland; but, picturesque as they may look in a proce ion, it is to be hoped, both for their own and the monarch's sake, that they may never have to test the powers of their antique weapon against those of the breech-loading rifle. "Had often heard the sound of glee When there the youthful Nortons met To practise games and archery" Words worth: The White Doe of Rylstone, v. 12. The art or skill of an archer. "Blest seraphims shall leave their quire, And turn Love's soldiers upon thee, To exercise their archery . Crashaw: Steps to Temple. +3. Those who at any time or place practise archery; taken collectively, the archers. (Chiefly poetic.) The venison free, and Bourdeaux wine, Might serve the archery to dine." Scott: Lady of the Lake, v. 25. arch-ěs, s. pl . (1). [Pl. of ARCH (1), s. (q.v.).] 1. Entom.: The English name given to various species of moths with arch-like zigzags on their wings. Black Arches: Psilura monacha, a moth of BLACK ARCHES (PSILURA MONACHA). the family Bombycidæ. The primary wings are greyish-white with many black spots, and pine, pit, sire, sir, marine; gō, pot, four zigzags of the same colour. The secondary wings are brownish-grey, spotted with black, and having a white border. The expansion of the wing is from fifteen to eighteen lines in the male, and two inches in the female. The caterpillar is brown with grey hairs, and one black with two white spots. It is found in the south of England. (Duncan, in Jardine's Naturalist's Libr .) Green Arches: Polia herbida , a moth of the family Noctuidæ. Light Arches: Xylophasia lithoscylea , a moth of the family Noctuidæ. Buff Arches: Thyatira derasa, a moth of the family Noctuidæ, of a light yellowish brown colour, with two white oblique bands on the upper wings, and several brown or buff zigzag lines on two rows of small white arches on the lower ones. The caterpillar is yellowish-green, with dark-brown spots and lines. It is found in England. ( Duncan , in Jardine's Naturalist's Libr .)