BAY-SNIPE SHOOTING. 87 
Notwithstanding the greatest experience, and de- 
spite the most favorable signs, the oldest gunner will 
find that more or less uncertainty exists in obtaining 
sport, and that his unlucky expeditions generally out- 
number hislucky ones. Often a flight will commence 
unexpectedly and without any apparent reason ; 
and a change of weather, after along continuance of 
wind from one quarter, will be followed by good 
shooting for some days, although such weather is 
not intrinsically favorable. The follower of bay- 
birds must therefore make up his mind to disap- 
pointment, and on such occasions live on his hopes 
for the future, or his recollections of the past. 
For this sport a heavy gun, such as is commonly 
employed for ducks, is not at all necessary ; inasmuch 
as many of the birds are small and the flocks fre- 
quently scattered, it is rarely desirable to use two 
ounces of shot and five drachms of powder ; and to 
fire such a charge at a solitary dowitcher, as is often 
done, is simply ridiculous. <A light field-gun, with 
an ounce and a quarter of shot and three drachms 
and a half of powder, (or, as I prefer, an ounce of shot 
and three drachms of powder,) is amply sufficient— 
will confer more pleasure and require more skill in 
the use, will cut down a reasonable number from a 
flock, and will kill a single bird handsomely. 
The gun should be kept at half-cock, and may be 
laid upon a bench beside the sportsman; there is 
always time to cock it, even if a flock is not seen till 
it is over the stools ; and a gun at full cock ina stand, 
is a danger that no reasonable man will encounter. 
