MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 391 



cannot be rendered water-proof, for we know to the contrary, and 

 purpose giving some receipts for making even ordinary leather im- 

 pervious to water ; but we wish to say that, so far as we are con- 

 cerned, we have never yet been snipe-shooting without wetting our 

 feet; but, at the same time, must confess that we are not easily 

 deterred from crossing a ditch, and neither are we a very expert 

 hand at walking a rickety fence-rail or a slippery log. 



Shooting-boots should never be made too heavy : it is a mistaken 

 idea to have them made of the stoutest leather and with the 

 heaviest soles, weighing perhaps several pounds apiece, inde- 

 pendently of the mud which generally adheres to them. A pair of 

 boots of this description, hanging like lumps of lead to one's feet, 

 will tire and wear out any sportsman, no matter how lusty he 

 may be, in just half the time that would have been the case if he 

 had used a pair of strong and light boots. 



Some of our sporting friends, however, who are as averse to 

 getting their feet wet as a cat is to moistening her paws, insist 

 upon water-proof boots with leggins of India-rubber cloth attached 

 to the tops of them and made to fasten half-way up the leg. This 

 plan, with some caution in picking out our way over the ditches 

 and mud-holes, will, no doubt, succeed very well; but when we 

 follow snipe we seldom have either the patience or time to hunt up 

 good crossings or sound every quagmire for a firm footing, and 

 therefore take it pretty much rough-and-tumble, just as it comes. 



We have tried laced boots, but have discarded them entirely, as 

 we dislike to have our legs exposed by rolling our pants up, and 

 we have an equal aversion to have them dangling muddy and wet 

 around our feet; we have, however, never made use of leggins, 

 recommended in connection with laced boots for this kind of shoot- 

 ing ; they, doubtless, would answer a very good purpose. 



