SHOOTING RED-LEGS IN THE SNOW 247 



falls, but generally the surface of the snow is frozen 

 hard enough on the second morning for them to run as 

 usual, and any one who will watch them may then form 

 some notion of what one of these birds is capable of 

 doing on its feet. 



There is no need to start very early in the morning 

 after the fall ; it is best to begin about ten o'clock or 

 half-an-hour later, when the birds have given up their 

 attempts to travel over the snow, and will be lying up 

 snugly under the hedges. An old setter, who will not 

 mind going into a fence to flush a bird if necessary, is 

 the best dog for the work, or a good hunting retriever. 

 But not every one keeps one of these " dogs of all 

 work," and an obedient spaniel is equally good, pro- 

 vided he will keep close. If not, he is apt to spoil 

 sport by running on ahead and flushing the birds, 

 which, according to the habit I have mentioned, often 

 lie scattered for some distance along the brow of the 

 ditch. 



It is a pleasant and exhilarating experience to step 

 out, well wrapped up and thickly shod, into the fleecy 

 powder-like snow, and tramp across the fields, or rather 

 round them, while the icicles tinkle on the bramble 

 sprays and glitter in the pale winter sunlight. Before 

 starting, however, it is well to remember that shooting 

 in the snow is accompanied by certain chances of accident 

 which are not so likely to occur in ordinary weather. 

 Two of the most dangerous are the blocking of the 

 muzzle by chance contact with snow, which will burst 

 it as effectually as if plugged with a wedge of iron; 



