Snipe Shooting in Ireland 157 



(Gallinago minima), were foreigners, and 

 began to arrive on our bogs in October, 

 though the principal flights did not come 

 in for a month later. We always imagined 

 that we could distinguish the foreigners from 

 the home-bred birds by their size and colour, 

 the latter being larger and lighter. If we 

 happened to go out within a day or two 

 of the arrival of a large flight we generally 

 made a very decent bag, varied with teal, 

 golden plover, and occasionally a mallard 

 or woodcock. I will endeavour to describe 

 one of our good days. 



One evening, Christy, our kennel-man, 

 game-carrier, and general factotum, came 

 into our gun-room and reported that his 

 brother Mike had been to look after some 

 sheep, and whilst crossing the Big bog had 

 heard and also flushed a lot of snipe. My 

 brother and I quickly decided to put in a 

 day after them, and arranged for an early 



