1-56 EEMIXISCENCES OF A SPOETSMAN. 



When the snipe rises he makes several sharp and quick 

 twists in the air, and then flies straight. This is the moment 

 to fire, and then it is not a difficult shot, and a slight 

 wound will bring him to the ground. When the snipes 

 rise close to you you must, as I said above, wait until 

 he has finished his manoeuvres, but if he rises 

 rather wild fire instantly, as he would probably get out 

 of shot. On entering a swamp or bog, the sportsman 

 should keep the wind to his back, as the snipes always 

 fly against the the wind, and he will then be enabled to 

 get some good cross shots, but if the hedge or long grass 

 is rather high, then it should be beat up wind with a 

 steady old pointer, and if he fetches and is tender 

 mouthed he is a great treasure for snipe shooting. 



The length of the common or full snipe to the end 

 of the tail is nearly twelve inches, the breadth with the 

 wings extended is fourteen, the bill is three inches long, of 

 a dusky colour, flat at the end and often like shagreen 

 above and below. The head is divided length^\dse with 

 two black lines and three red ones, one of the last 

 passing over the middle of the head and one above each 

 eye ; between the bill and the eyes is a dusky line. The 

 chin is white, the neck is varied with brown and red. 

 The scapular are beautifully striped lengthmse with 

 black and yellow, the quill feathers are dusky, but the 

 edge of the first is white, as are the tips of the secondary 

 feathers. The quill feathers next the back are barred 

 with black and pale red, the breast and belly are white. 

 The covers of the tail are long and almost cover it, they 

 are of a reddish brown colour. The tail consists of 

 fourteen feathers, black on the lower part, then crossed 

 with a broad bar of deep orange, another narrow one 

 of black, and the ends white or pale orange. The 



