Bogtrottingy etc. 105 



tion and getting what is called a ''good 

 sight of the bird," than in any sport with 

 the gun in Great Britain. You will find 

 that dropping the tallest and most express- 

 train pheasants that ever came over you 

 in stately procession, though truly the work 

 is quick enough at times, is a leisurely 

 proceeding compared to the instantaneous 

 accuracy required in dealing with a tiny 

 sad-coloured bird spinning full-speed ahead, 

 all steam up at once, as often as not at the 

 limit of gun -range. Excepting perhaps a 

 driven partridge whizzing towards you over 

 a low hedge, a snipe zigzagging up-wind, 

 whether near or far, is the most difficult bird 

 in the world to hit if you make the slightest 

 attempt to dwell upon his flight either with 

 the eye or the muzzle of the gun. Whereas, 

 given the qualities previously mentioned, your 

 first sight of him, and therefore your first 

 barrel, should be pretty accurate, and if not 

 may be immediately corrected by your second. 

 If you have ever been fortunate enough 

 to walk or shoot snipe in company with a 



G 



