BAY-SNIPE SHOOTING. 205 



supposed to fly ; and if such a storm occur at eithei 

 of these periods, and be succeeded by a south-wester- 

 ly wind, it will surely be followed by an abundance 

 of the appropriate birds. 



During an easterly blow they will be seen passing 

 by Point Judith in nn almost unbroken line ; and 

 after it, they abound throughout the whole length 

 of the coast, as though they had been carried to all 

 parts of it at once. But if no such storm occur, 

 the catching the flight is a mere chance ; and where 

 the summer has been dry, the snipe will be scarce. 

 If the meadows have been kept moist by continual 

 showers, there Avill be a moderate supply of game 

 the summer through ; but if there has been a drought, 

 the surface becomes too hard for the snails and in- 

 sects to inhabit, or for the birds to penetrate ; a scar- 

 city of food results, and there will be no flight what- 

 ever. 



Scattering birds, wandering away from their fel- 

 lows and exhausted with hunger, delighted at be- 

 holding their friends apparentty feeding, will be 

 killed perhaps in numbers sufficient to make now 

 and then a decent bag ; but what is known as the 

 " flight" when the great army moves its vast co- 

 horts, division after division, regiment after regiment, 

 company after company will not take place. How 

 they reach the south no one can accurately tell ; 

 they either fly inland or out at sea high in the air, 

 or late at night ; but their returning myriads in the 

 spring following, prove that in some way they did 

 reach their southern winter homes. 



