The Smpe, 299 



differs in beins^ more obscure in her colors ; the white on the 

 back being less pure, and the black not so deep." 



In the spring season, the Snipe performs some very singular 

 manoeuvres, not very unlike those that are noticed in the Wood- 

 cock, during the period of incubation. If the sportsman should, 

 at early dawn, or even at mid-day, visit the low meadows fre- 

 quented by those birds, he will probably see one or both of a pair 

 mounting high in the air in a spiral manner, beating their wings 

 or sailing around in rapid circles, until they have gained a hundred 

 yards or more in height ; then clasping each other, they whirl 

 around flapping their wings with great velocity, and then dropping 

 in mid-air, give utterance at the same time to a low twittering, or 

 rather rolling sound, supposed to be produced by the action of the- 

 wings upon the air in their rapid descent. We have seen them 

 perform this manoeuvre more than once, but at no other period of 

 the year than the spring. 



The flight of the Snipe, together with its shyness during its 

 sojourn at the north, and the disagreeable nature of the ground 

 that it alone frequents, renders it the most difiicult as well as fati- 

 guing and vexatious of birds to hunt. When sprung, they take 

 wing very suddenly, and fly off in rapid zigzag lines for a few pa- 

 ces, in such a confused, irregular, and tortuous course that it is 

 almost imposvsible even for a snap shot, during this time, to cover 

 the bird for an instant while performing these elliptical gyrations* 



Snipe-shooting, not only in England, but also in our own coun- 

 try, may very justly be pronounced the " Crux Jaculatorum " of 

 sportsmen, as there is no game that requires more skill and judg- 

 ment in shooting, or demands a greater share of labor and perse- 

 verance to follow. A sporting writer — no great admirer of this 

 sport, however, we imagine — remarks that " Snipe-shooting is a 

 sport the best calculated (Grousing excepted) to try the keenness 

 of the sportsman, to ascertain his bottom, and if he can stand 

 labor, water, mire, swamps, and bogs. He should he possessed of 

 a strong constitution, not liable to catch cold, and have all the 

 fortitude, as well as exertion, of a water spaniel ; he should be 

 habitually inured to wet, dirt, and difficulties, and not be deterred 

 by cold or severe weather." 



This statement, although a little overdrawn, is not far wide of 

 the real truth, as every Snipe-shooter knows full well ; and when 

 entering on the sport, each one should be willing to repeat within 

 himself audax omnia perpeti. Notwithstanding the numerous ills 



