In the open, boats, ordinary hurdles, spring diving-boards and punts are brought into requisition. The ingenuity of committees in this respect is remarkable. Tub-racing is very amusing, the upsets of the competitors causing considerable fun. The Water-Derby is another popular form of entertain ment. Each man is mounted on a barrel fitted with the head of a horse and labelled with the name of some well known racer. Then, each provided with a paddle, the game begins. Racing, tilting, and play with the ball can be indulged in. Water-polo is often played in this manner, or in canoes, more as a bit of amusement for the spectators, owing to the inability of the players to retain their seats, than as a serious game. Duck hunts are now a misnomer. At one time a live duck was used, the swimmer first catching it taking the prize, but threatened prosecutions put a stop to this. A laughable incident occurred at a London gala a few seasons back. A ' duck' hunt was advertised, the duck of course being a swimmer, but this was unknown to that most laudable organi sation, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who sent an officer in uniform to put a stop to the exhibi tion. Boxing and wrestling in the water are also common competitions, mounted wrestling, one swimmer walking on the bottom and bearing the wrestler on his shoulders, being an especial favourite.
Diving displays, if admitted into the programme, should be of good character. If a team of four experts can be secured, an interesting exhibition can be given. This may include a gallery dive by three ; then from the bottom board—when there is a properly constructed diving-board arranged for different heights—clean-diving, back-diving, all together with hands at side, somersaults, back-diving (changing to front before taking the water) and triple-diving follow. The last
named exhibition is managed by the centre man standing on his hands,—the others taking hold of his feet, and then diving at the word 'go.' Changing over to the top board, usually about fourteen feet from the water, the order is as follows :—Clean-diving, going in together with hands at side, back-diving, back-diving (changing to front before entering water), diving through life-buoys, touching toes in mid-air when diving, and winding up with the cross-dive. All three in this leave the top board together. One goes straight in as in the ordinary dive, the other over the centre man, and the third under him, all taking the water at the same time. The exhibi tion, when properly carried out, produces a strong impression on the audience.
The programme, as we have said, should be all settled long before the meeting, and when the entries have closed, the order of the events carefully arranged so as to admit of a man entered for more than one race competing in those for which he has entered without being called upon to swim in consecutive heats. Men entered for more than one race should be placed in the earlier heats of the first race, and so on until the order has been made up. The displays should come between the preliminary and second rounds and the second rounds and finals of the races. The preliminary heats of members' races should be decided first, so as to allow time for the arrival of strangers entered for the open events, or if there be big entries for the members' races, the preliminary heats may be swum off swne days previously. All these little matters require care and forethought, and if they be exercised there will be no muddled programme, or loss of time during the meeting.