58 A Book of the Snipe, 



use bringing a band of music as a dog to such 

 ground. Per contra, we couldn't well do 

 without a retriever, for nearly every bird 

 skims out over the surface of the water, and 

 if shot, would fall farther than it would be 

 safe to follow. As I expected, the majority 

 spring from the clumps of rush at the very 

 edge of the water. Here, no doubt, they feel 

 more secure than in more inland quarters, 

 and, you will notice, allow a nearer approach 

 than the birds we flushed on the way out. 

 Even so, they are off soon enough to test 

 your powers of shooting pretty severely, and 

 you must not expect a very startling propor- 

 tion of kills to cartridges at this spot. 



It is not worth while following the border 

 of the mere round to where it again contracts 

 into the river-banks, so, as time is getting on, 

 we will now turn our backs to it and cut 

 straio^ht across the moor to the foot of the 

 low hills shutting it in on the other side. 

 Leaving the quaggy ground immediately sur- 

 rounding the water, from which snipe get up 

 as we pass in undiminished numbers, we come 



