322 THE KEEPERS BOOK 



idea as to the haunts of the snipe on the ground under 

 his charge, and he should remember the important fact 

 that snipe are very conservative in their habits, and that 

 once they have selected a habitat there will they always 

 be found. From the many facts known as to the habits, 

 habitats, and shooting of snipe, we select the following 

 as worthy of the memory of the keeper : 



(1) Snipe are markedly affected by the moon. 



Choose a day for shooting after a clear night. 

 Then they will have fed well, and will lie well 

 to the guns. For, like woodcock, snipe feed 

 chiefly at night time, but after dark nights 

 snipe feed during the day, and are very much 

 on the alert. 



(2) The best time to shoot snipe is during the thaw 



after a frost. During this time they get a 

 plentiful supply of worms, which always 

 come very near to the surface of the earth 

 after frost. 



(3) Snipe lie best in muggy weather, with a gentle 



breeze and a barometer which shows a 

 tendency to fall, and after a moonlight 

 night. 



(4) Snipe lie worst in bright, fresh weather, with a 



high breeze, and after a dark, cloudy night. 



(5) In the generality of cases, in finding the birds, 



the guns should walk down wind 



(a) In a thaw when the birds will be lying 

 well ; 



