SNIPE SHOOTING. 95 
the snipe-shooter returns home disgusted, his bag not 
having one, where, considering the birds seen, he feels 
he should have five. __ 
“Tt will be noticed that the influence of the day, 
cold, raw and disagreeable, has its effect on the snipe, 
and a mild, warm, bright, sunshiny day, with warm 
south winds affects them just the opposite. 
“« How they do love the warm sun of spring, and how 
they do hate to be disturbed. They hear the splash, 
splash of the hunter; they catch glimpses of his tall 
form, slowly but surely approaching them; still, they 
don’t fly, simply hugging closer to the ground, instinct 
teaching them that their dull, dead gray and white 
bodies cannot be distinguished from the marshy ground. 
Suddenly, they realize the danger they are in, and de- 
spairing of escaping undiscovered, they spring as if 
thrown by some hidden power, and away they go, utter- 
ing grating ‘Scaipe! Scaipe !’ from their throats. But 
what’s the use of telling you this now, Ned; we are on 
the ground, and observation for a few hours will teach 
you more than I can tell in a week. We will start in 
and hunt north. My reason is, we want to go with the 
wind. Always hunt snipe with the wind, because they 
rise and fly either against the wind, or present quarter- 
ing shots. If you hunt against the wind, they will not 
lie well, and when they do get up, will fly straight from 
you, presenting a small zig-zag mark to shoot at, which 
isn’t where you thought it was when you pulled the 
trigger. There is no comparison between the flight of 
a prairie chicken and a snipe when both are fired at fly- 
ing from you. 
“Here we are in the marsh! Slip in a couple ci 
shells, and keep your eyes open, as they won’t ring a 
