SNIPE, AND SNIPE-SHOOTING. 257 



to hitting them, that is another matter, for out of twenty 

 birds flushed no two may rise in the same way, and you 

 must watch how they rise, and vary your tactics on each 

 individual bird. 



In looking for them, and especially during the spring 

 migrations, look for them wherever there are moist spots 

 of ground. This, besides including the open marshes, also 

 includes wet places on corn-stubble, grain-stubbles, past- 

 ure-fields, and, if there be a raw, cold wind, open, wet 

 woodlands and half -filled old ditches. 



In bright, warm weather, with low southerly winds, 

 during the morning and afternoon hours the open mead- 

 ows and marshes are the grounds. 



Work your grounds over slowly and thoroughly, 

 since, though one or two birds may be in an unaccommo- 

 dating humor, and flush far out of range, the next one 

 may lie up close, and let you pass him, unless carefully 

 looked for. 



Snipe are given many names by the country people, 

 but their true title is the Wilson snipe Scolopax Wil- 

 sonii of the early naturalist, Gallinago Wilsonii of the 

 later ones. " English snipe " and "jacksnipe" are both 

 misnomers, as the names of two birds found in the British 

 Isles are given to a single bird. 



As in snipe-shooting } 7 ou are most of the time on wet 

 ground, it is well, particularly in the spring, when both 

 water and the soil beneath it have the chill of winter yet 

 in them, to keep the feet dry, if possible. Therefore use 

 long rubber boots, and, with moderate care and some 

 knowledge of your ground, you may escape wet feet, and 

 a possible attack of pneumonia. With the exception of 

 duck-shooting, there is more exposure to wet in snipe- 

 shooting than in any other sport. 



Remember (as I have already pointed out) that not 

 every piece of low, wet ground is necessarily good ground. 



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