1 82 A Book of the Snipe, 



2l snipe to gladden his eyes, though he may 

 see duck and teal in quite unaccustomed 

 profusion and tameness. 



It is almost beyond doubt that, on our 

 western coast at any rate, the clue to the 

 whereabouts (though not to the caitse of the 

 departure) of the birds is to be found in 

 the proximity of Ireland. The slight ad- 

 vantage in geniality the climate of that 

 country possesses over that prevalent on the 

 shores of England washed by the St George's 

 Channel may be sufficient to induce the snipe 

 to put themselves on the safe side. 



Whether this is the case or not, a frost 

 in England is invariably followed by a sud- 

 den disappearance of snipe from many parts 

 of the country and a corresponding increase 

 of sport in the Sister Isle. So well known 

 is this that many writers on snipe - shooting 

 have been led into the error of laying down 

 as a universal rule one which is only par- 

 tially applicable even to Ireland. Thus 

 Colonel Hawker in his short account of 

 the sport, perhaps the least satisfactory por- 



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