240 PBAIEIE AND FOREST. 



Over this, especially in the vicinity of sloughs, dwarf pris- 

 simon bushes abound, and there the snipe much frequent. 

 A dog is not necessary here, for the game is so abundant, 

 unless, perhaps, a good retriever, who must be under such 

 control as never to attempt to leave heel, except when 

 ordered by his master to recover a cripple. A further 

 attraction to this sport is, that few days pass on which 

 numbers of teal, pin- tailed duck, or mallard do not assist 

 to swell the size of your game-bag. From the advent of 

 the first flight till the middle of May, additional arrivals 

 take place, but after that date all disappear till the fall of 

 the leaf, and gusty changeable weather foretells the near 

 approach of winter. But the autumnal flight is never 

 numerically equal to that of the spring ; still, if twenty 

 brace will satisfy the sportsman, he can have that reward 

 for his labour, provided he be a fair shot. 



Americans as a rule are excellent shots. By them the 

 arrival of snipe is looked forward to with much pleasure ; 

 but to the pot-hunter, the fellow who will shoot pinnated 

 grouse on the ground, the duck upon the water, or crawl 

 all day through brush to have a standing chance at a wild 

 turkey, this branch of shooting presents little attraction. 

 How satisfactory it is that there is at least one game bird 

 who can laugh with derision at such pursuers. At first, 

 when snipe make their appearance, especially if the weather 

 be wet and blustering, they are inclined to be wild ; but 

 much depends upon the amount of cover afforded by the 

 locality, but when the genial sun of spring shines with 

 invigorating warmth, they will frequently lie so close that 

 many will flush almost at your feet. When wild, their 



