SNIPE SHOOTING. 69 



the journey is somewhat long and tiresome, he 

 is at least certain, at its end, to find the grounds 

 free from market shooters, who, wherever they 

 go, tend to prejudice the country people against 

 all strangers from the city. These fellows, in 

 general, regard the sportsman with an evil eye, 

 and unless closely watched are apt to play him 

 some trick. 



There is a tolerable good house kept by 



Wills, at the upper end of the village, and the 

 host is fond of going out with his guests. 



The proper times to start are about the mid- 

 dle of March, or the last of October in the 

 fall. 



At Frenchtown, Maryland, there are good 

 snipe grounds, but their extent is comparatively 

 small, and the sport is over in a few hours. Still, 

 if you have the advantage of pilotage, and are 

 on the spot early enough in the season as snipe 

 seldom remain here long in spring, preferring 

 to follow the course of rivers where the tides 

 ebb and flow you may sometimes have a suffi- 

 ciency of sport.* 



* At this place Mr. Krider has seen five snipe feeding on one 

 spot, within ten feet of the road-side. Had ho been disposed, and 

 not too agreeably occupied with watching the ease and dispatch 

 with which they bored the ground with their long bills, the dex- 



