156 Sporting Notes in the Far East. 



he at once sang out " don't shoot ! " but it was too late, my gun 

 went off and the bird fell a useless lump of feathers. Our surprise 

 and delight can therefore be well imagined, when Rock trotted 

 back with head and tail erect, having a fine woodcock in his mouth. 



I imagine that the shooting of a cock, when attired in frock coat 

 and sword, is more or less an unique experience in the chequered 

 career of a naval officer ; and I am not even now quite satisfied 

 that I was treating Her Majesty's uniform with due reverence 

 and respect. 



In good seasons, snipe are often shot on the Settlement race- 

 course, which is a piece of low lying grass land, situated almost in 

 the heart of the suburbs of Shanghai. But to go there for sport is 

 distinctly dangerous, and invites an early and violent termination to 

 this life ; the course being the home of gunners of all kinds and 

 descriptions, many of which have never previously had a gun in 

 their hands ; and the result is a constant hail of small shot whistling 

 about in all directions. 



Fair bags of snipe are made at WONG-DU a district up the 

 Soochow creek, and it has the advantage of being at a nice distance 

 for a " Saturday to Monday " trip in a houseboat, from Shanghai. 

 The "Springers" here are found (as at Woosung) in the dry ground, 

 having also the same preference for the bean and potato fields, and 

 beyond this I can give no further details. However, in all cases when 

 requiring sporting information while at Shanghai, I recommend 



