BAT-SNIPE SHOOTING. 79 



thorougli the deception, the more favorable will be 

 the result ; and although they can frequently be 

 attracted by an accurate imitation of their call 

 within reach of their destroyer, crouched in the open 

 field and unaided by decoys, they will approach 

 much better to the concealed sportsman and well 

 made stools. A stand is usually erected near some 

 pond or bar where the birds are in the habit of 

 alighting — and this can be built in half an hour of 

 bushes or reeds — high enough to conceal the sports- 

 man comfortably seated in his arm-chair ; and as the 

 grass has become by the latter part of August a dull 

 yellowish green, he may even shelter himself from 

 the sun's rays by a brown cotton umbrella, if he be 

 delicate or ease-loving. His clothes should assi- 

 milate to the color of the landscape, and be as cool as 

 possible — for the temperature is often oppressively 

 hot ; and a waterproof should always be at hand in 

 case of rain, to cover, not so much the sportsman 

 as his gun and ammunition, which may be seri- 

 ously injured by dampness and salt air combin- 

 ed. 



If it is impracticable to build a stand, and the 

 locality is sandy, a hole may be dug, with the exca- 

 vated sand banked around it, and the sportsman may 

 deposit himself upon his Mackintosh at the bottom. 

 However, to one unaccustomed to the posture, it is 

 difficult to rise and shoot fi-om such a position, and a 

 comfortable seat is far pveferable ; and besides, the 

 - mosquitoes are thicker near the earth ; the breeze has 

 less efieot and the sun more. 



