Habits and Habitat of Snipe. 157 



have left their fellows in mid air in this 

 manner. In the case mentioned above, 

 however, that of the terrified strangers, I 

 have never found it of any use to wait 

 for the wisp to disintegrate and its in- 

 dividuals to seek the ground one by one. 

 After a few preliminary circlings, they 

 usually depart in a body out of the range 

 of vision, which seems to lend colour to 

 what I have already surmised, their ignor- 

 ance of the immediate locality and its haunts. 

 In all other cases, however, unless snipe are 

 very plentiful, many more shots will be ob- 

 tained if the sportsman accustom himself to 

 pause perfectly motionless until the bird or 

 birds he has flushed have either flown out 

 of sight or again sought the earth. 



Snipe always seem to be undecided little 

 creatures on the wing, whether in wisps 

 or alone. You may put up a bird which 

 dashes off with a business - like air, as if 

 bound straight for a preconcerted haven 

 especially noted for such emergencies. The 

 young shooter Is apt to be taken in and 



K 



