QUOITS, a game much practised by the working classes in the mining districts of Great Britain, seems to have been derived from the ancient game of "throwing the discus," which was such a favorite amusement of the Greeks and Romans. .The discus was a circular plate of stone or metal, 10 to 12 in. in diameter, and was held by its further edge with the right hand, so as to lean upon the fore-arm, and was cast with a swing of the arm, aided by a twist of tlie whole body. It was generally thrown edge foremost, and upward at a-n angle of 45°, so as to give it as great a range as possible, and the player who threw it farthest was the winner. Similar to this game was the ''lifrow in,g of the solos," a heavy spherical mass of stone or iron, perforated through the center, to admit a rope or thong, by the aid of which it was thrown. In this game also the farthest throw was the successful one. It is still practised by the mountaineers of the Appenzell In Switzerland. The game of quoits differs very considerably from both of these. A quoit is a flattish ring of iron, generally from 8+ to 9+ in. in external diameter, and between 1 and 2 in. in breadth. It is convex on the upper side, and slightly concave on the under, so that the outer edge curves downward, and is sharp enough to stick into the ground. The mode of as follows: Two pins, called "hobs," are driven into
time ground from 18 to 24 yards apart; and the players, who are divided into two paTiles, stand at one hob, and in regular succession throw their quoits (of which each player has two) as near to the other hob as they can. The points are counted as in bowls or in curling,. To facilitate the sticking of the quoits at the. point where they strike the ground, a "clay end "—that is, a flat circle of clay. about 1 or 2 in. in thickness, and 1+ ft. in radius—is placed round each hob. This requires to he kept moist. and should have sawdust strewed over it. The quoit, when to be thrown. is grasped with the right hand by one side, and pitched with an upward and forward jerk of the hand 4ind arm, which give it it whirling, motion. and cause it to strike the ground with its edge. Professional players acquire such dexterity in this game. that they can very frequently "ring" their quoit—that is, land it so that the quoit surrounds the hub.