BAY-SNIPE SHOOTING. 69 
that although usually flying steadily, they will fre- 
quently flirt and twist as unexpectedly as an English 
snipe; and that often they will either suddenly drop 
from before his gun and alight, or, taking the alarm, 
will whirl fifty feet into the air; and when one 
barre! has been discharged into a flock, the rest will 
“ skiver” so as to puzzle even the best marksman. 
It is not enough to kill one bird with each bar- 
rel from a flock, as in quail-shooting, but a num- 
ber must be selected at the moment they cross one 
another, so that several may be secured with each 
barrel; to do this will require much practice and 
entail many total misses, and is rarely thoroughly 
learned by the upland sportsman. It will not answer 
to follow the example of an enthusiastic French gen- 
tleman, whom I once left in the stand while I went 
to the house for dinner; and who, on my return, in 
an excited way remarked : 
“ Ah! I have vun beautifool shot, I make ze lovely 
shot ; tree big birds come along—vat you call him ?” 
“ Willet ?” I suggested. 
“ No, no; ze big brown birds.” 
s¢ Sickle-bills !” 
“ No, not ze seeckle-bills.” 
¢ Jacks 2” 
“No, no; not ze jacks.” 
“¢ Marlin !” 
“Yes, yes; tree big marlin come close by, right 
ovair ze stool; zay all fly near ze other; I am sure 
to kill zem, it was such beautifool shot. I take ze 
gun and miss zem all!” 
