SNIPE-SHOOTING. 201 



dry peat and grass, such as are to be found in 

 the marshes. When jumping from one hillock to 

 another in search of eggs, I have several times 

 almost trodden Snipe under foot. At this season 

 both Snipe and Cock steal through the grass more 

 like rats than birds. 



The west of Cork was, some years since, famous 

 for Snipe. Captain A. Morgan, who knows that part 

 of the county well, tells me he has shot fifty Snipe 

 in three hours, near Skibbereen. He adds that 

 they nest in considerable numbers in that locality. 

 Sligo is another county that was, and still is, good 

 for Snipe. Sir R. Gore Booth, a few years since, 

 killed to his own gun sixty-five in a day, and many 

 times sixty. He remarks that, owing to snaring 

 and netting, as well as to the number of guns in the 

 hands of poachers, they are getting scarcer every 

 year. Mr. Longfield, of Bandon, county Cork, tells 

 me he well remembers when thirty couple in a day 

 to one gun was not unusual ; but that now (1881) 

 he considers, in his part of the country, ten to 

 twelve couple is a good day's work. In Mayo, 

 Lord J. Brown writes, " Snipe are steadily diminish- 

 ing, from being constantly shot for sale by poachers, 

 as well as by those who have a right to shoot." 

 Formerly Mayo was the best county for Snipe in 

 the United Kingdom ; now, the sport is indifferent. 

 Some years ago, twenty to twenty-five couple a day 

 was common shooting, and would be kept up off 

 and on throughout the winter ; now " twelve or 

 eighteen couple a day, for perhaps a dozen days, 

 is the most that can be got." Snipe are being 

 sadly thinned in Ireland year by year, and, amongst 



