Snipe Shooting in Ireland 161 



that rose. After this bit of luck we resumed 

 our attack on the snipe. The wind had gone 

 down, and a fine drizzly rain had set in ; 

 whether owing to the latter or not I cannot say, 

 but the birds certainly lay better, and seemed 

 to go away straighter when they rose ; at any 

 rate, we were doing good work, and our bag 

 began to exhibit quite respectable proportions. 

 Presently "G." gave a whistle and stooped 

 down, at the same moment pointing to his 

 right front. On looking in the direction he 

 indicated, I saw a flock of golden plover 

 wheeling and sweeping towards us, but they 

 must have spotted us, for they suddenly 

 executed a series of aerial evolutions, and 

 swept away in another direction. 



The afternoon was drawing to a close, and 

 the light, which had been none too good since 

 the rain commenced, was not improving, but 

 we seemed to walk up snipe in every direc- 

 tion, and were fortunate in dropping a good 



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