54 SCOLOPACID.'E. 



teach the art of doing this instantaneously, namely, aiming 

 and firing with precision and without loss of time. Should 

 he be hurried, and consequently miss once or twice, it is best 

 to go and sit down for a time, and then begin again fresh and 

 collected, with a cool determination of killing the next. This 

 last advice is not to be forgotten under any circumstances, 

 whether at snipe or partridge shooting, for the humour, state 

 of mind, nervousness, or slight indisposition of body, or over- 

 anxiety to obtain game, will undoubtedly tend to spoil a day's 

 sport greatly. 



In looking for Snipes one must, as it were, sneak along, 

 without splashing in the mud, or talking to a companion, or 

 even to a dog ; and though several Snipes should get up out 

 of shot, he must steadily continue his course, for in most in- 

 stances some birds remain on the ground, which will only get 

 up singly. 



When the sportsman has killed his bird, he must reload 

 immediately, before picking up his game, if he goes with- 

 out a dog; for between him and his prize there may be 

 more Snipes lying concealed, and they might be secured 

 also. The Snipe must either be fired at the instant he gets 

 up, or the pulling of the trigger must be delayed, until the 

 zigzag flight of the bird is past, and he commences his straight 

 forward departure. This latter chance is uncertain, in con- 

 sequence of the distance the bird has gained, but while 

 the right and left movement goes on, there is no calculating 

 upon killing a Snipe. In the beginning of the autumn 

 the Snipe is more difficult to shoot than in the winter, 

 owing to its evolutions to the right and left on taking 

 wing. 



A good Snipe-shot may kill from seventy to eighty in a 

 day with a single gun, and it has been said that some have 

 even brought down a hundred under favourable circumstances. 



