SHOOTING

—The use of the gun in sport is a late development. There is mention of the use of firearms in the middle of the XV. cent. for the purpose of finally killing quarry after it had been brought to bay by the hounds, but it was not till the close of the XVIII. cent. that s. as a pure sport was commonly practiced. S. falls into two divisions—game and big game. Roughly game consists of such wild birds and animals as are edible, (e.g.) grouse and hares; big game consists of such wild animals as are not good for food (e.g.) lions and elephants. In the game laws the following animals are cla ified as game: hares, pheasants, partridges, landrails, and wild duck. Game is ly a with a gun; big game with a e. game gun normally weighs about 61% Ib. a Ase