9 . 
SNIPE. 
one’s weight will invariably lead to the thin covering above the swamp giving way. If held fast at each 
footstep in the soft clinging soil, such as is commonly found on a marsh where cattle and horses have 
fed during summer, almost every shot will be lost unless the bird flies straight or veers towards the 
left, a sharp twist to the riglit usually resulting in a clean miss, unless the sportsman is capable of 
firing witli equal precision from either slioulder. Many a doleful tale might the conscientious gunner (if 
so inclined) unfold concerning his first exploits on such ground, the attempt to swing one’s self round 
towards the right not unfrcquently being followed by a sprawl in the marsh, with one of the long boots 
left firmly fixed in the mud. 
I have met with few localities where Snipe-shooting Avith a fair chance of success could be followed 
with such ease and comfort as in the fens of Bottisham, Qui, and SAvaffham, situated some eight or nine 
miles from Cambridge. Doubtless many changes have taken place in the nature of this flat and 
dreary country, my acquaintance with the district having terminated on leaving the University. On 
certain portions of the ground termed poor-lands the natives exercised the right of cutting turf for firino- 
The way in which this operation Avas carried out differed somewhat from the manner in which the 
Highlander casts his peats : the turf was dug out from numbers of small oblong cuttings and afterwards 
riec and stacked by the side of the gap from Avhich it Avas taken; toAAards autumn the moisture drained 
into the cutting (leaving the fen dry and firm for walking) and a pool of black peaty Avater Avas formed 
eie Snipe Avere to be found as soon as flights arrived in the district, the birds for the most part lyin- 
when .iZ convenient means of concealment 
viiig le sma 1 bunches of Mallard or Teal frequently dropping about the pools or dykes on the 
approach of Avinter. Though this had been, according to the yarns of the old fenmen, a great locality 
01 Snipe in days gone by, the bags were now exceedingly light, seven couple being the heaviest I ever 
secured. A brace or two of Partridges, now and then a hare, a couple of Mallard or Teal to-ether with 
the hree or four couple of Snipe usually obtained afforded, lioAvever, in my humble estimatioira fair day’s 
sport; of alliog io with, and occasionally ha,.i„., a Quail was also a ncvec-fa iL I Jei™ 
to th spot. To Macken Fen. noac Ely, fonuerly a well-known resort for Snipe as well as ma\f™ 1 
made seveial excursions during summer, autumn, and winter : though the ground had lately under ^ / 
altemtion, there still remained a considerable stretch of marshland with waving bo-s and lare-e'’rriT“f ' 
somewiat resemhling the country surrounding the Norfolk broads. A stroii"- jumidm. pole arm 1 't! 
round clog of wood near the foot, to guard against sticking too firmly in the°nuul wn, 1 " 
m these fens, in order to cross the broad water-dykes intersecting the ground in every ’direetmr"* “ 
lo an uudeigraduate Avith a strong predilection for the gun, the proximity of • e 
marshlands was a temptation scarcely to be resisted. The nursuit'^of tl ^ -n 
consecutive days in the week durin"' term-time and eon . i ongbilbs, however, for several 
for more than one examination, rais’d at length the lonrrerLierwrathTf” “ ""“'“tel*” 
at length, in order to avoid unpleasantness, that a change of scene was necessary 1”^™ 1 
elassm shades of Alma Mater was regarded with equal satisfaction by all partiel e^ecLd C"' t 
have passed you will repent the time wasted while up at the Universitv ” T1 
College tutor, uttered in his most solemn and impressive tones In o’ ' 
intended by the worthy man, his words have beL fnlti, lei More In t 
away, and my sole regret at the present moment is, that the whole and not P I™ 
not been spent in the fens. After quitting the Universitv T s e ri ^ ‘ ‘ “y time had 
in East Ixithian was far more to my taste than reading 
■" ““ were It ILTl! 
