SO BAY-SNIPE SHOOTING. — 
The stools should be so placed that they can be 
readily seen from the line of flight, not too high 
above the water, and the farthest not more than 
thirty-five yards from the shooter. If too near a 
bank, they will be confounded with the grass, and be 
invisible even to the keen eye of the snipe. They 
should be scattered sufficiently to allow each one to 
be distinct, and must be headed in different direc- 
tions, so that some may present their broadsides to 
every quarter of the heavens. They should tail 
down wind, in a measure, from the stand, as the birds, 
no matter what direction they come from, head up 
wind in order to alight, and will make a circle to do 
so. In this way they reach the lower end of the 
imitation flock first, and are led safely close to the 
sportsman, giving him an admirable opportunity to 
make his selection from their ranks. 
As the tide varies according to the wind and moon, 
and will often cover with several feet of water places 
usually dry, it is well to have two sets of sticks—one 
set for deep water much longer than those for ordi- 
nary use; otherwise, it will occasionally be found im- 
possible to set out the stools at all, or they will stand 
so high above the ground as to resemble bean-poles 
more than birds. . 
It is customary to have in the flock, which should 
not be less than forty, imitations of the different 
species—some being brown to represent marlin, 
others grey, with white breasts and a white and 
black streak over the tail to stand for willet, and so 
on; but a more important point is to have them large. 
