116 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
and others on the south side of Long Island, and others equally 
famous at Egg Harbor, in Boston Bay, and other suitable 
places, a day’s sport is nearly certain at the proper season. 
The quantity of birds killed is sometimes really astonishing; 
the weather is generally beautiful, and if there be a breeze on 
the water, and you take the precaution of filling your basket 
with pleasant eatables, taking lots of ice and of good water, with 
a quantum suff. of anything you please, to render water drinka¬ 
ble, you may pass a summer’s day agreeably enough, getting a 
shot either at single birds, or at heavy flocks, every few minutes 
The greatest drawbacks to the sport, are the cramped pos¬ 
ture in which you are compelled to lie, or crouch, in order to 
conceal yourself, the reflection of the sun from the glassy sur¬ 
face of the water, which, if you are in the least degree thin- 
skinned, is very like to blister, and peel off every inch of ex¬ 
posed cuticle, and, lastly, the hordes of musquitoes and gnats, 
which, unless you are pretty thoroughly acclimated, will proba 
bly use you up to about as great a degree as you will use up 
the Willets, Robins, Dowitchers, Marlins, Yellow-legs, and 
Black-breasts. 
If, however, despising all these small annoyances, you resolve 
to try the Snipe, get a good bayman, as I have advised, take 
your two heaviest double-barrelled guns, I do not mean Duck 
guns, but ten or twelve pounders, load with moderately coarse 
powder and No. 5 shot—not larger to my mind !—and lying 
low and keeping dark, you can scarcely fail to make a bag. 
Generally speaking, these birds are not difficult shots, and if 
a flock comes fairly up to your decoys, and sails over them on 
expanded wings, and circles round as if to alight, you cannot 
miss them, and can hardly fail to make great havoc in their 
crowded ranks. 
Sometimes, instead of being alarmed by the gunshots and 
the fall of their companions, the simple birds will appear to be 
fascinated and attracted by the cries and fluttering of their 
wounded associates, and will circle over and ever them, giving 
a chance for several shots; but in any event, if a large flock 
