106 
impression on their numbers. All along the Mississippi River, where 
there was low ground, these birds came in spring and fall in countless 
numbers. Any fairly good shot had no difficulty on a suitable day in 
bagging 100 birds. 
Other water courses of the State swarmed with these birds, while 
the border of our lakes held a goodly number. 
But the face of the country has been changed and snipe are no 
longer plentiful although in season a good bag is still possible. On 
certain ground on, a warm still day the snipe hes well to a dog, and 
when he goes away after being flushed, on his zig-zag course he is a 
difficult bird to hit: ; as an edible bird he takes high rank, his — being 
similar in type to that of the woodcock. 
He comes from his winter home in the spring as soon as the frost 
is out of the ground and after remaining a short time continues his 
flight North to the breeding grounds, coming back in the fall. He 
makes his way South just ahe ad of the frost. 
The Plover. 
THE PLOVER. 
Among our shore birds none are prized more highly by the epicure 
than the plover. He likes the soft low ground, but does not seek the 
