SHOOTING WILD rOWL. 61 



to reach to a certain distance, when their flight becomes steady and 

 easy to traverse with the gun; there is no reason to be apprehensive 

 ol their getting out of rafige of the shot, as they will fall to the ground 

 if struck but slightly with the smallest grain. Snipe like many 

 other birds always lly against the wind; therefore, the sportsman by 

 keeping the wind at his back, has this advantage of the bird when 

 it rises, that it presents a fairer mark. In severe weather, snipe 

 resort in numbers to warm springs, where the rills continue open 

 -and run with a gentle stream. These are then the only places 

 where they can hunt for food, on account of their long bills. Snipe 

 fly better in windy weather than in any other, and as they then usually 

 make a momentary halt or hanging on, that is the time to fire. When 

 they cross, also, by firing well forward, they seldom escape. Snipe 

 are among the most inconstant of birds. A frosty night will send 

 away the whole of a flight that had been there the day before; 

 and again in two days' time they may return, if open weather and a 

 dry wind succeed, A regular snipe locality should be tried not only 

 every day, but twice a day, so uncertain are snipe in fixing them- 

 selves even for a day, 



I*artridge or Grouse Shooting, 



The best iime lor partridge shooting is in the morning early, or 

 late in thq afternoon^ Always endeavor to get cross shots; this may 

 usually be effected by walking across or heading your dog when 

 pointing. If you go straight from him to the birds, they will gen- 

 erally go straight away. Birds whe!i H jing across you, present a far 

 easier shot, ancl cr^pose a more vi'^al Dart. 



During the c^Xirc season, the \ ac-t-stubbles are the best spots for 

 holding partridgeco In stormc ojQd fo^o partridges lie very close, 

 and in line days which follow storms. Heavy 'rains cause them to 

 lie extremely close; and therefore, as well ar. for other reasons it 

 is not favorable for sport. 



The ruffed-grouse or pheasant, pinnated-grouse, sage-hen, blue- 

 grouse and spring-tail grouse, arc only different varieties of the part- 

 ridge family, and have to bo hunted in about the same manner. The 

 blue-grouse, a native of mountainous regions, is one of the finest 

 game birds on the continent. It is roometimes called the fool-hen, a 

 designation no doubt given it because of the fact that a hunter may 

 stand and shoot fifty of them out of a tree, one after the other, 



