320 EMPLOYMENT OF THE DOG IN HUNTING, ETC." 



point and gone round to head them if he was unusually clever 

 in his vocation. Such a feat is by no means unattainable, if 

 dogs are broken to beat towards the shooter as explained at 

 page 258 ; but some stupid brutes will never learn to do it 

 of their own accord, and must be sent round by their master, 

 which causes delay and takes away half the advantage of the 

 plan. Beyond a repetition of the cautions as to making the 

 dog work to hand, and keeping him steady " down charge," 

 there is little more to be said on the use of the pointer and 

 setter. 



SNIPE-SHOOTING. 



The following observations on snipe-shooting in Ireland, by 

 an Irish sportsman, recently appeared in the columns of " The 

 Field ; " and, as the writer has had far more experience in this 

 department of sport than I can lay claim to, I prefer intro- 

 ducing these extracts to inserting the results of my own ex- 

 perience, which, however, are strictly in accordance with his. 



"In Ireland the best sportsmen do not commence snipe-shoot- 

 ing until the November frosts set in. This is sometimes con- 

 sidered an old-fashioned prejudice ; but there are good reasons 

 why it should be postjjoned until that season. For, although 

 the birds bred here are in good condition in September, or 

 even earlier, they do not, except to the mere tyro, afford any- 



