THE SNIPE AND SNIPE-SHOOTING. 139 



error to shoot top quick. The snipe, at first 

 getting on the wing, twists and wires in and out 

 in his flight. If shot at then, it may bo killed, 

 but is more likely to be missed. By waiting 

 until it has gone a rod or two you may get a 

 much easier shot. The flight of the bird is then 

 straight, and, though it presents but a small mark, 

 there is no real difficulty in hitting it. Side 

 shots are the best of all for a good shot. Be- 

 ginners are somewhat apt to shoot behind the 

 bird. The right time to pull the trigger is just 

 as the snipe begins the direct flight. It is not 

 a hard bird to kill on the bottoms, even while 

 somewhat wild, if you can shoot well and go 

 the right way about your beat,, which is down- 

 wind. Afterwards, when they have got fat, it is 

 as easy to kill as any bird I know of. In 

 talking with General Strong, who is a good 

 sportsman and fine shot, and other gentlemen of 

 Chicago, about snipe-shooting, I found it was their 

 impression that it was a hard bird to shoot. 

 Now, I knew well that, taken in the right way, 

 at the right time, it was a very easy bird to 

 kill ; and I offered to back myself to shoot and 

 bag a hundred snipe in a hundred consecutive 

 shots. If I missed one shot out of the one hun- 



