162 EEMIXISCEXCES OF A SPORTSMAN". 



close to the ground as possible and instantly becomes 

 their prey. 



In Dorsetshire about seventy years ago, a party of 

 sportsmen were dining together, and the conver- 

 sation turning on snipe shooting, one of the gentlemen 

 said he would bet fifty guineas he would find a 

 sportsman who would be able to kill twenty-five 

 brace of snipes in one day in Dorsetshire ; on which 

 Mr. Humphrey Sturt (my old esteemed friend) said 

 he would take the bet. " That you cannot do," said 

 the gentleman who offered the bet, " for you are the 

 person I intend should perform this feat." " Then," 

 said my friend, " to convince you I will do my best, 

 allow me to take half the bet with you." One of 

 the company accepted it, and the terms were these, that 

 Mr. Sturt might choose his day for snipe shooting, but 

 if he fired one shot he must go on with his engagement. 

 Mr. Sturt went two or three times to a favourite marsh 

 much frequented by snipes, but observing they got up 

 rather wild he did not fire. Going again on a warm 

 muggy day, with a nice breeze from the south-west, a 

 snipe got up, and I heard him say it looked so large he 

 could not resist firing, and down it came. The snipes 

 were numerous and lay well, and Mr. Sturt killed his 

 first seventeen shots, on which the gentleman who had 

 taken the bet and witnessed this excellent beginning, 

 gave a cheque for the fifty guineas, saying he was sure 

 he had lost his money, and that he could remain no 

 longer, having important business to transact at home. 

 This naturally produced confidence in Mr. Sturt that 

 he should be able to accomplish his task. He got sixty 

 shots, killed his twenty-five brace of snipes, two wood- 

 cocks, and a bittern, missing only seven shots. This 



