SNIPE SHOOTING 99 



gestions ; hints of the near approach of the joys and freedom of 

 summer, for the day of the arrival of the snipe seems to unquestion- 

 ably announce the finish of the gloomy and taciturn reign of the 

 stern winter. The sound is produced by the fact that the bird by 

 some unexplained muscular action turns edgewise as he drops 

 plumb through the air. He is seen to soar almost out of sight, 

 where he disports himself for hours in mid-ether, sailing round and 

 round in small circles, and at times letting himself drop fifty feet 

 or more, before he again mounts on the ' wing'. 



It is during these perpendicular descents that this strange and 

 powerful hum is produced which may be heard at a great distance. 

 ' In their aerial dance/ Audubon says, * each seem to call up another 

 by the sound when sporting together aloft, whirling round each 

 other with extreme velocity and dancing as it were to their own 

 music.' 



In conclusion it may be said that snipe shooting is pursued in 

 Canada in the glorious days for which the Canadian autumn is so 

 justly noted. Nature does nothing here by halves, and when she 

 sets out to give you a golden ' Indian summer ' day, she succeeds 

 so well that colours seem to be brought out on hill and valley never 

 seen at other times ; the sky seems of a deeper and more tender 

 blue, the water more pellucid, and the whole face of nature seems 

 to be marvellously brightened by the exceptional purity and brilliance 

 of the autumn atmosphere. 



