SNIPE-SHOOTING. 5 



him also, the odds are that you will shortly find his 

 successor at home. I regret to say I never could 

 see a snipe on the ground, but judging from the 

 pictures he must present a most comical aspect, with 

 his long legs under him and his ridiculous little tail 

 cocked up. I must own to once having shot at a 

 snipe sitting, but it was when I had marked him 

 down. I naturally and deservedly missed him. I 

 can only allege in my defence that we were shooting 

 for the score, i.e., to see who could bag most. 



When a boy, I was fortunate enough to have a 

 snipe bog within a mile of my home. It was common 

 and consequently unpreserved land, and, except 

 by myself, rarely shot over. Consequently it was 

 always good for a few couple of long-bills. Imagine 

 my disgust one Christmas holiday on finding a son 

 (or grandson) of the celebrated Shrapnel located ii 

 the neighbourhood, whose gun had done as much 

 execution on my bog as ever his progenitor's shells 

 did among the French. He certainly was, I think, 

 the very finest snipe-shot I ever saw, but that know- 

 ledge did little at the time to assuage my wrath. Poor 

 fellow ! he is long since dead ; and the bog is mostly 

 drained too. 



I have already said that the snipe is to be found 

 almost wherever one goes. The only place I have 

 not myself seen it is in South Africa, but I would not 

 say it does not travel there. There are plenty in 

 Egypt. Ireland has always been celebrated for its 

 snipe-shooting, which can generally be had for the 

 asking. Of all countries which I have visited, the one 



