138 L FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



Nova Scotia they may perhaps be regarded as a summer resident ; 

 though I am persuaded that their numbers, even there, in the 

 sprin<^ and autumn, will be found vastly to exceed the tale of 

 those which remain and rear their young. Throughout the 

 . Southern and Western country they are, on the contrary, winter 

 residents. 



Now the shooting of these birds in spring, as they are either 

 pairing here preparatory to breeding, or moving northward pre- 

 paratory to pairing, or even actually breeding — as is the case 

 when they are shot in May — is precisely what it would be to 

 shoot Woodcock in February, March, and April, or Quail so late 

 as to the middle of May ; the destruction of the breeders, and con- 

 sequent diminution of the number of the next year's young, being 

 the same in both cases. The American Snipe lays four eggs ; 

 the death, therefore, of every Snipe during spring shooting is 

 equivalent to the death of five of these beautiful and sporting 

 little birds. 



This, one would suppose, would be conclusive against the 

 practice ; but if he venture to break ground in favor of the abo- 

 lition by law of this unfair, and I must think, unsportsmanhke 

 practice, he is met and silenced by some such exquisite reason as 

 this — that if spring Snipe-shooting were prohibited, we should 

 have no spring shooting at all ; and the same exquisite reason is 

 adduced against the only step which can save the Woodcock 

 from extermination, I mean the abolition of summer cock- 

 shooting. 



To return, however, to spring Snipe-shooting, as it is. 



So soon as the spring is fairly broken, and the frost — to use 

 a common phrase — entirely out of the ground, the Snipe 

 begins to appear upon our meadows. This breaking of the 

 spring, and disappearance of the subterranean frost is, as is well 

 known, very uncertain as regards the time of its occurrence. 

 Sometimes, particularly when the winter has been continuous and 

 severe, spring comes upon us suddenly and remains permanent — 

 with no cold squalls and nipping frosts intermediate — increasing 

 still into perfect summer. At other times, most frequently when 



