104 AMERICAN GAME. 



boots, corduroy shorts, and leggins, suit thine own fancy ; 

 but let thy shooting-jacket be roomy on the chest and 

 shoulders, and well supplied with ample pockets. Let 

 thy gun be for my choice of 31 inches, 12 or 14 guage, 

 7j to 8 pounds. Let thy powder be Brough's diamond 

 grain, or John Hall's glass^-on no account any other 

 thou mayest get it of Henry T. Cooper, in Broadway, 

 New York thy shot, ISTo. 8 thy caps Starkey's central 

 fire, or Moore & Gray's, or "Westley Eichards' by no 

 means French, or Walker's, the first of which fly, while 

 the latter are, I think, corrosive. Forget not to have in 

 thy pocket a dog- whip, a stout knife, a yard or two of 

 strong cord, a pocket-flask, replenished, as thou wilt, with 

 old Otard, or as I recommend thee, Ferintosh or Glenli- 

 vat whiskey stick in the seam of thy waistcoat a strong 

 darning-needle, headed with sealing-wax, it is the only true 

 and responsible gun-picker ; and so, good sport to thee, 

 and health and temper to enjoy it ! as good sport, gentle 

 reader, as I trust myself to enjoy this coming week of 

 April, the rain-gods and the river-gods permitting, and 

 the nymphs remembering us, as their long time adorer, 

 in their kind orisons. 



The AMERICAN SNIPE, established by "Wilson as a dis- 

 tinct species, is eleven inches long, bill inclusive, and sev- 

 enteen from tip to tip. Bill fluted, two and a half inches 

 long, the upper mandible the longest, terminating in a 

 highly sensitive nob, brown, tipped with black. The 

 crown of the head black, bisected lengthwise and bor- 



