COURSING, ETC. 281 



shooting until the middle of October, or 

 when the first frost sets in : in November 

 they grow very fat. These birds when they 

 abound afford very excellent sport. It is 

 remarked that snipes always fly against the 

 wind, which is also the case with woodcocks ; 

 for this reason it is best to hunt for them as 

 much as possible with the wind to the back, 

 because they then fly towards the sportsman 

 and present a fairer mark. 



The snipe is generally esteemed difficult 

 to shoot, by reason of the many turnings and 

 twistings which it makes on being sprung : 

 but this difficulty exists only in the minds of 

 inexperienced sportsmen, as there are many 

 birds more difficult to shoot flying. When 

 once the shooter can accustom himself to let 

 the snipe fly away, without his being in haste 

 or alarmed, he will find that the flight is not 

 much more difficult to follow than that of the 

 quail ; and it is better to let him fly some 

 distance, because the smallest grain of shot 

 will kill him, and he will fall to the ground if 

 Bb 3 



