The Athletes and Athletic Sports of Scotland

34 ATHLETIC SPORTS OF SCOTLAND. fairly made and measured from toe to first break ofground; that wind and weather were favourable at each place; yet a fair com­ parison could not be made between the throws atthese places unless theshape, material, and surfaceof the balls at each place were as nearly aspossible identical. With a smooth round stone at Inverness, a rough surfaced ironball at Luss, and a lead ball with indentations for the fingers at Aboyne, the totaldistance of the nine throws by the prize-winners,supposing there were the same athletes at each place, andequally fitand well each day, would be found to be longest at Aboyne and shortest at Inver­ ness. Where two athletes are pretty evenly matched it sometimes happens that the one will almost invariably win with a round stone and the other with an iron ball, D. Dinnie has been known to be beaten with around stone, when if the stone had been nearly squarein shape he would have won easily. The nature of the turfand subsoil has also a greatdeal to do with the length of a throw. On firm, wiry grass, forming a spongy turf, resting on aporous subsoil,an athlete, other things being equal,will put better than onsoft grass onclose, rich soil, To enablea comparatively fair test to bemade of the respective capabilities of the bestathletes from year to year, there oughtto be at each of the leading athletic meetings a piece ofground set apart for putting, so that each year each athlete would throw from exactly thesame place with exactly the same ball, which would have to be kept at the same weight. On the day of the competition a thin glass orpipeclay rod with a small flag on top could be put in at the best previous put, which would show spectators and athletes the value of the performancesof each competitor compared with the bestof former years, andgive an interest and zest to the competitions at present unknown. THE BRAEMAR STYLE .—At Braemar and Glenisla gatherings, what is called the standingstyle is used. The competitor stand­ ing with his left foot next the stance, must keep theright foot on the ground, not lifting toe or heel till the moment of delivery, when the left foot, which may be moved freely about, is first