296 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



over the old muzzle- gun as in snipe shooting. From 

 our experience of the past season, unless compelled, we 

 should never use any other for this description of sport. 

 The rapidity with which they can both be loaded and 

 cleaned, dispensing with the ramrod, which is always 

 difficult to handle in cold weather, being able to load 

 without placing the butt on the ground or in the mud, 

 and the non-necessity of using caps, are advantages in 

 all sporting, but in none more decided than in snipe 

 shooting. 



At first when the snipe arrive, they are poorer 

 in flesh, and wilder than further on in the season ; but 

 if the day should be mild and the sun warm, they will 

 almost lie to be tramped upon, and when flushed only 

 fly a few yards before lighting. In fact, you will fre- 

 quently have trouble to get them to take wing if the 

 cover chance to be good. But for choice, the snipe 

 generally prefer the bare ground which has been burned 

 over during the fall or winter, or has been overflowed 

 by the rising of some neighbouring river, the allu- 

 vial surface deposit apparently suiting them better to 

 bore in. 



As an estimate of what may be considered a good 

 day's sport at this season of the year on these grounds, 

 we will recur to our own experience, and only state 

 facts. An acquaintance, who was a good shot, killed, 



