WILSON'S SNIPE. l6l 



the range of vision, or again individual birds may drop with their 

 peculiarly rapid descent until all have settled again. There is no 

 difficulty in marking down a snipe, their quick, dropping motion is 

 unmistakable. 



Beating for Snipe with the wind at one's back, has been always 

 advised by experts, as the bird invariably rises against wind, 

 and flies at an angle towards you, either to the right or left, thus 

 presenting a more easy shot than when going straightaway in a zig- 

 zag course. Sometimes, however, on account of the many ditch 

 drains that interrupt us in our tramps over the meadows, we can- 

 not find it nearly as convenient to take the wind at our backs, and 

 are compelled to breast it ; but we should bear in mind that far 

 better chances are given to kill if the above advice is carried out, 

 and always endeavor to follow it. 



Snipe in the spring, not unfrequently take to swampy thickets 

 of black alder, and what are known as " willow gardens," with 

 springy bottoms, for shelter and food, when, after their arrival from 

 the south, the country is visited with a snow squall and a touch of 

 the past winter. We have on two occasions found them in such 

 localities lying like stones, making capital shooting, and fully 

 as expert in twisting their way through the sprouts and alders as 

 their larger cousin, the woodcock. 



Frequently when flushed, a bird will dart away, flying low at 

 first, but gradually rising will soon seem but a speck in the sky, 

 and then disappear from view, let the hunter keep for a few 

 moments his position, however, and quick as flash the bird may 

 drop down to within a few yards of his former resting place. This 

 is not always the case, as often the snipe may leave not to return. 

 The probable explanation of this is, that in the first case the 

 ground from which the bird was driven afforded good food and 

 cover, and the snipe was loth to desert so attractive a spot. Of 

 the common names applied to this bird, that of " shad spirit " is 

 the most peculiar. It is given them by the fishermen, who, while 

 in spring time drawing their seines for shad at night, often start the 

 snipe from the grassy meadov/s. Hearing the unknown bird get 

 up Defore them, and associating it naturally with their shad fishing, 

 they apply to it the sobriquet of " shad spirit." The snipe remains 

 with us frequently as late as the latter part of November. About the 



