WET EARS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 263, 6 November 1912, Page 2

WET EARS.

HOW A KING'S PRIZE WAS WON

Private R. W. Richards, the bydney University Scout, who won the King's Prize at the recent Rifle Association's .meeting m Sydney^ was one of the 100 to 1 chances- (says ■ Sydney Sun). He went through the-B and C series of matches without winning his entrance money back. Pitted against the cream of Australian rifle shots in the King s, he did not appear to have a chance of coming out on top. But JRichards was not perturbed because of that. But good shooting appeared to be almost impossible on the day, when a rear fishtail.wind was blowing. Men who hold reputations in rifle shooting failed dismally. One moment the wind was blowing from the right rear, and then in a flash from the 'wft. There was no anticipating it. Direction was altered 15 points between shots, and then all calculations would be upset by a gust directly from the rear. The wind flags from the various points on the range to aid the riflemen in picking up the correct windage were worse than useless. One blew one way and one another. They gave no assitance at all. Misses were numerous. The riflemen on either side were working overtime altering their sights. Richards, however, adopted a device made venerable by back-country kangaroo shots—men who do not carry the paraphernalia the modern range-shooter loads his self up with. He wet the backs of his ears. When the wind made one feel cold he knew the wind came from that particular side, and vice-versa. When they both felt cold together he knew the wind was coming directly from the re{"". Then without further ado he pulled his trigger. Resource beat all the modern scientific gear, yafrid in 30 shots at the back ranges Richards, of the wet ears, hit the bull's-eye 22 times. And that performance won the King's. •