The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-15

reason for this Is known. but Il Ia possible
that the bird needs a change OF soil and
diet.
field of this kind chosen by the snipe
is never Of a sandy. dusty character. The
soil lie always solid and generally Of q dark
loan and invariably it 10 covered with
short grass. 1t has been suggested that
the snipe 60 to the fields for grass seeds,
but they frequent them in spring when
there are no seeds. as freely as In the
fail.
Tho field chosen most commonly In one
that was In cultivation some years before.
the ground showing still tho rounded ridges
from the plough. but when the snipe 60 to
II it is pasture and has been for a long timo.
In this field there will be always email hole
Of water here and there between the ridges.
They may not be more than two feet in
diameter, and. true to its nature. the snipe
will he thicker around these than elsewhere.
II IL really astonishing to see them and to
note the number Of birds which may be
flushed In walk OF fifteen minutes. Lit
orally. they are on every square yard In
certain parts OF the pasture. and even
where they are thinnest two or three OF
them will get up at once.
In spring. when the green gras q IL just up
the snipe may be seen quite distinctly on
ground OF this sort, as the green tinge does
not match well with the brown coats and
there 10 not enough Of the grass to hide
them when they squat. They may be OBJ
served standing stifiy. their backs running
up almost straight from their legs. or jab-
bing their long bills industriously in the
effort to penetrate the hard soil
Shooting in a pasture in which q snipe
drove has pitched Ia Of phenomenal excel
lence. and no sportsman has any COM
FUNCTIONS about killing as many Of them
as is possible. for he knows that the shoot
ing will not last beyond the day. On Mon
day not a snipc 10 apparently within thou
sand miles: on Tuesday they are there In q
myriad; on Wednesday not q feather Is to
be seen.
The man walking over the pasture
whereor the day before he shot until his
gun barrels burned him through the glove
on his left hand will find lots OF tiny round
holes bored in the ground; he may get up
accompany the drove; one that was winged
and lost may futter from under his feet
but that will be all to remind him OF the
swarm which came and went.
A man finds a snipe infested pasture only
by accident. for there Is nothing to tell him
that the birds are there. There is no APP
parent reason why they should be there.
He may be quail hunting and cross the
pasture, or ne may he walking ont with
rod and line TO try the black bass in some
bayou. or he may be strollinE about observ-
ing the signs OF coming winter or spring
When q Jack jumps from between two
dry old rows which once bore com. and
then another and another, he will do we'll
70 wheel and get back home for his gun
a. fast as possible. for |, is certain that some
Of the rarest and most perfect shooting
W tho world is his to command.
Over a pasture like this a gunner may
shoot until he can no longer lift the weapon.
and his shoulder. sore and tender. shrinks
from the impact of the butt. II he is q
good shot he may load himself down with
birds They flush within thirty feet and
60 away in the open and the zigzag of
their swift fight is all that protects them.
1t is clean shooting There is no mud to
wade through. The grass Is firm under
foot. Most OF the birds will fall on Il and
may be picked up dry from bill 20 toe. in
stead Of bedrsggled and muddy, a. happens
always In marsh shooting.
Not many men hive been lucky enough
to And sport OF this sort. Those who have
will not forget it. They mark the days
with white stones.