UPLAND SHOOTING. 143 



At such times, a few straggling birds may be picked up on 

 the south side of Long Island, where the trout-streams, below 

 the pond-dams, oveiflow the salt meadows, before a solitary 

 Snipe has appeared inland. Then the salt marshes about the 

 mouths of the Raritan, the Hackensac, and the Passaic, attract 

 them in turn for a few days ; after which they gradually ascend 

 the courses of those streams to the great tracts of morass and 

 bog-meadow, which are spread out for leagues, the very Para- 

 dise of the Snipe-shooter, especially about the last-named river. 



Here, if the weather is favorable and settled, they remain for 

 many weeks ; and may be pursued with much success and sport, 

 by the skilful sportsman, whatever may be the nature of the day, 

 unless it has been preceded by a very sharp frost. 



The most favorable time is, undoubtedly, the first fine waiTn 

 day after a long, easterly rain-storm ; and, so thoroughly am I 

 convinced of this fact, that for many seasons, while resident in 

 New York, it was my habit to order my horses, and set out on 

 the third day of a north-eastern storm, if the sky showed the 

 slightest prospect of clearing, before the rain had in ihv least 

 abated. It has more than once happened to me, thus selling off 

 late in the evening, while it was yet raining, to see the sky gra- 

 dually clear up, and to hear the shrill squeak of the Snipe travel- 

 ling overhead faster than myself, though in the same direction, 

 before reaching my shooting-ground, scarce twenty miles distant ; 

 and I have been amply rewarded for my trouble by an excellent 

 and undisturbed day's sport, over meadows well stocked with 

 birds, and as yet virgin of gunners. 



In such cases, it Avill often, however, happen that the weather 

 on the one or more days which can be spared for shooting, proves 

 wild, windy and unfavorable ; yet the sportsman who has trav- 

 elled from a distance must take it as he finds it — if he reside on 

 the spot he can, and of course will, pick his own days ; which, it 

 he be wise, will be those soft, moist, silvery mornings, which so 

 often follow slight hoar-frosts, when the heaven is covered with 

 the thinnest filmy haze, through which the sunbeams are j)oured 

 down warm but mellow, and when there is just enough of low 



