84: GOT, KOD, AND SADDLE. 



In southern Illinois, where I had the greatest 



7 O 



amount of experience in killing this game, the 

 advance heralds of migration generally arrived 

 about the 10th of March. Much, of course, depended 

 whether the winter was late or otherwise ; but if a 

 thaw had taken place, and a moist southerly wind 

 had been blowing over night, the ground that 

 yesterday you had tramped over in pursuit of wild 

 duck without seeing a single snipe, on the morrow 

 would harbor thousands. Their journey being a 

 continuation of short flights, they are seldom out of 

 condition on arrival ; and as they do not take up a 

 permanent residence, little compunction is felt in 

 shooting them. Out of the large number that I 

 have brought to bag, I do not remember a single 

 instance of an egg, or other indication that pairing 

 had taken place. The prairies of this State (Illinois) 

 are generally burned late in the fall, or early in 

 spring, to improve the succeeding year's grazing, 

 leaving the surface of the soil entirely denuded of 

 grass, except where moisture has prevented the 

 burn taking effect. Over this, especially in the 

 vicinity of sloughs, dwarf persimmon bushes abound, 

 and there the snipe much frequent. A dog is not 

 necessary here, for the game is so abundant, unless, 



