AMERICANS EXCELLENT SHOTS. 237 



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

 generally burned late in the fall or early in spring, to im- 

 prove the succeeding year's grazing, leaving the surface of 

 the soil entirely denuded of grass, except where moisture 

 has prevented the burning taking effect. Over this, espec- 

 ially 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, per- 

 haps, a good retriever, who must be under such control as 

 never to attempt to leave heel, except when ordered by his 

 master to recover a cripple. A further attraction to this 

 sport is, that few days pass on which numbers of teal, pin- 

 tailed duck, or mallard do not assist to swell the size of 

 your game-bag. From the advent of the first flight till the 

 middle of May additional arrivals take place; but after 

 that date all disappear till the fall of the leaf, and gusty, 

 changeable weather foretells the near approach of winter. 

 But the autumnal flight is never numerically equal to that 

 of spring ; still, if twenty brace will satisfy the sportsman, 

 he can have that reward for his labor, provided he be a fair 

 shot. 



Americans, as a rule, are excellent shots. By them the 

 arrival of snipe is looked forward to with much pleasure; 

 but to the pot-hunter the fellow who will shoot pinnated 

 grouse on the ground, the duck upon the water, or crawl 

 all day through brush to have a standing chance at a wild 

 turkey this branch of shooting presents little attraction. 

 How satisfactory it is that there is at least one game bird 

 who can laugh with derision at such pursuers ! At first, 

 when snipe make their appearance, especially if the weather 

 be wet and blustering, they .are inclined to be wild ; biit 

 much depends upon the amount of cover afforded by the 

 locality ; but when the genial sun of spring shines with in- 

 vigorating warmth, they will frequently lie so close that 



