226 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



more melancholy than usual at the unaccustomed nature 

 of the sport, and seemed reflectmg upon the worthless- 

 ness of birds as compared with deer and panthers. Wag 

 ran around the limited extent of land several times with- 

 out anything but a solitary snipe that went skapeing 

 away, and then returned, to worry Yowler. Jackson 

 soon came in with a couple of score of ducks, and we 

 learned from him that the great body of the winter ducks 

 had not yet come on. There were no geese, and no brant, 

 and he said, what was easily credible, that late in the 

 year a good sportsman could kill four hundred ducks a 

 day. 



" But I will tell you what it is, I have seen English 

 snipe flying over, and as we go home we will try some 

 of those low islands outside, and get a dozen." 



" Much walking ?" suggested the Doctor. 



" No ; you can shoot from the boat." 



"I believe I am somewhat of a shot on English 

 snipe," said the Doctor. " I remember once killing a 

 dozen." 



" You didn't have Lou Jackson in the boat with you," 

 I replied. 



'' No, somethmg a great deal worse — you were with 

 me." 



" No, never — not when you killed a dozen English 

 snipe." 



" Yes, I shot them all at one shot on the beach." 



" Fudge ! those were Yellow-legs." 



" May be they v.ere, but they were just as good." 



