American Game 273 



localities, owing to severe winters. At Springfield sta- 

 tion in Fairfax county, about ten miles from Alexan- 

 dria, good shooting is generally to be found. Sports- 

 men feel certain that quail will increase with favorable 

 weather and fair protection. The legislature of Virginia 

 recently passed a law protecting these birds for the 

 period of two years, and sportsmen intend to aid in 

 increasing the supply by liberating live birds which 

 they succeed in getting from North Carolina. 



Ruffed grouse or pheasant is the scarcest of game- 

 birds. Good shooting could be had several years ago 

 at Ravensworth, but the birds there are now almost 

 exterminated. Wilson's snipe are migratory. The first 

 flight from the south arrive here about March 1st. 

 They do not breed in this section, but are plentiful in 

 the marshes and wet meadows around Alexandria and 

 Washington from the middle of March to the first of 

 May. Some of the places where good snipe shooting 

 may be had are Eastern branch, outside of Washing- 

 ton, D. C. ; Danigerfield marsh, between Washington, 

 D. C., and Alexandria; also in the marshes on Great 

 and Little Hunting creeks in Fairfax county. Good 

 snipe shooting may be had in April. Snipe arrive from 

 the north about October i, and remain about three 

 weeks, but are not nearly as plentiful as in the spring. 



Woodcock arrive from the south about the first of 

 March, and breed in the state quite freely. Great num 

 bers of these birds may be found in Fairfax county, 

 about six miles from Alexandria, at a place the sports- 

 men call " the double ditches;" also at Woodbridge 

 on the line of the Alexandria & Fredericksburg Rail- 

 road, about twenty miles from Alexandria. On the 



