REMARKABLE BAGS. 231 



Messrs. McCowen, already named, received the 

 greatest number of Snipe in one day on Saturday, 

 January 24th, 1881, when 856 were bought from 

 the peasantry ; the result, of course, with most of 

 these men, of the week's shooting. 



Under the head of "Duck" are included Pintail 

 and Diving Ducks as well as Brent Geese, which, 

 called Bernicle in Kerry, are sold as Duck. 

 The Wigeon were chiefly killed by the punters 

 along the coast, or from sailing boats ; the Plovers 

 by the netmen up to the date of the frost, during 

 the commencement of the hard weather by the 

 coast gunners, as the stands then visit the sea-shore 

 for a few days ere quitting the country for other 

 climes more genial. In the hard weather, Curlews 

 in a starving condition sought the rivers and springs, 

 and were easily killed by the numerous gunners. 



Though I have returns for the season 1 880-81, 

 from several tradesmen who traffic in game, from the 

 different counties of Ireland, in one only (co. Clare) 

 does it appear that a dealer bought a larger number 

 of Cock and nearly as many Snipe in a season as 

 Messrs. McCowen of Tralee. But I cannot abso- 

 lutely vouch for the correctness of these returns, 

 as I can for the list above given. 



It must be borne in mind that, in addition to the 

 numbers quoted, are the Snipe and Cock shot 

 by the gentry of the county on their preserved 

 estates, which do not find their way to the market, 

 as well as the birds that are sent out of the country 

 districts by local buyers, of which there is usually 

 at least one in every small town throughout the 

 county. 



