258 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
Having entered his ground then to windward, the 
young sportsman will continue to beat as much as possible 
down wind. He will himself walk, and encourage his dog 
to hunt, as fast as possible, over what seems unlikely 
ground. But if the dog seems bent on hunting any par- 
ticular spot slowly, he should not cross him—probably the 
dog has his reasons, and is the better judge. Where the 
ground looks likely, or where he knows there are birds, he 
cannot hunt too slowly. 
If the dog seem inclined to point, feathering and 
drawing carefully, it is well to step up toward him gently, 
waying in a low guarded voice, “ Steady! Steady!” or, 
“ Have a care!” When he points, let the sportsman get 
to windward of his point, come down on him carefully, 
holding the gun as described at page 135, and be as cool 
as he can. When the snipe springs, let him shoot it, if 
he can. 
The reason why it is recommended to come down wind 
on the snipe, is this; that he always rises up wind, and 
goes away at sharp, short zigzags, tack and tack in the 
teeth of it, and the harder it blows, the faster he flies and 
the more he tacks. ; 
By going down wind on him, the shooter forces him to 
rise in his face, and to go off either to the right or to the 
left hand, affording him a cross shot, which is always the 
easiest shot. 
The snipe always hangs, when first rising, for a second 
on the wing before he gets under way, and for that second 
he is almost motionless. This I consider, unless he be 
decidedly too near, so that the shot must tear him, or like 
