SNIPE SHOOTING 323 
shooting season—which is mostly the migratory sea- 
son—seem erratic and unknowable, if its unstable char- 
acteristics may be called habits at all. It is in one place 
to-day, and to-morrow in another. To-day there may 
be an abundance, to-morrow a dearth. Or it may go 
contrary to its erratic reputation and remain a num- 
ber of days about the same grounds. Still, the shooter 
is largely in ignorance of what the snipe will do next. 
The weather and food conditions may be the same, 
so far as observation can determine them, and yet 
the birds come and go in their own whimsical way, 
regardless of conditions. Some subtle, mysterious 
impulse seems to impel the birds of a certain locality 
either to come or go, though not in the manner of 
birds which flock. 
Snipe fly mostly in ones or twos or threes, some- 
times more, but always in small numbers. Being inde- 
pendent in flight, it is difficult to uaderstand how the 
common impulse to seek other grounds is at the same 
time felt and acted on by all the snipe of a certain 
neighborhood, or at least by most of them. There 
are many exceptions, as a matter of course; as, for 
instance, in a section where there are snipe in abun- 
dance on a certain day, a part only may leave at the 
same time. Indeed, a few snipe may be found on cer- 
tain grounds throughout the whole season. Yet, how- 
ever much the exception may affect the rule, the greater 
part of the birds are erratic and lawless most of the 
time. 
No doubt that which seems whimsical and mysteri- 
