American Game 275 



grate at the coming of the first frost. Some of the 

 marshes where good shooting can be had in September 

 are Eastern branch, a four-mile run between Washing- 

 ton and Alexandria; marshes on Great and Little 

 Hunting creek ; Big marsh, two miles from Alexandria, 

 in Fairfax county. These birds are shot out of a light 

 skiff, which is poled through the wild oats on high 

 water. There seems to be no decrease in the number 

 of these birds. In Accomac county there is generally 

 to be found turkey, quail, duck, and brant shooting. 

 The bay-bird shooting, in August and September, is 

 generally very fine. Good deer shooting is usually 

 found in the neighborhood of Alleghany. 



In the neighborhood of West Point, in King William 

 county, there is a variety of game, mainly feathered, 

 consisting of turkey, snipe, and duck. Virginia beach 

 is a famous place for shore-bird shooting. The seasons 

 for birds at that place are : Yellowlegs, plover, willet, 

 and all kinds of bay-birds, commence to fly about July 

 20, and continue until October I ; duck shooting com- 

 mences on October 10 and continues until March 10. 

 Surry, in the same county, is on the south bank of the 

 James. Good deer and turkey shooting has been 

 secured in that vicinity during the past few years, 

 Duck shooting is good at this place in cold weather. 



Deer and other game have been quite plentiful re- 

 cently in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in James 

 City county. Fox, hare, opossum, and raccoon are 

 plentiful from the top of the Blue Ridge into Tide-water. 

 Bear are found in the Dismal Swamp, in the wooded 

 heights of the Blue Ridge and its foot-hills, and in the 

 Appalachian heights. 



