234 BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



of the lagoons by night, feeding on their favourite hair- 

 weed, and leaving again at daybreak, though some few 

 erratic females come to feed by day. Like most wild-fowl, 

 when they first come over they are not shy ; but those 

 streaks of fire across the dark skies, those roaring thunder- 

 bolts, and the shrieks of their dying companions, soon warn 

 them the beast, man, is about, and they learn caution. 



At nightfall the flight-shooter lurks in his boat, screened 

 behind a reed-bush, listening intently for the roar of their 

 wings; for mallards make a zuz's/^, wisp, with their wings, 

 but pokers and tufted-duck come on like the roar of the 

 sea — and well it is they can be heard from afar. A mile 

 off they betray themselves ; for the gunner has merely to 

 cock, and stand with his gun to the shoulder, waiting till the 

 birds are upon him; for they fly at dusk, though if fright- 

 ened, will not flight till it is dark. And then, if he fire, 

 they will fly high, beyond the reach of his deadly shot ; but if 

 stormy and windy, they fly low, and if he be alert he may get 

 a few ; but they are the most difficult of all wild-fowl to shoot 

 — swift, and strong, and short-necked birds that they are. 



After they have passed these lurking flight-shooters, when 

 they come to the dully-glowing broad, they throw themselves 

 down into the water, and make for the reed-bushes, where 

 the water is shallow, in search of their dainty hair-weed. 

 The knowing but reckless gunner knows this habit of 

 theirs, and if unwise, will, on a still clear night, paddle 

 to the easternmost side of the broad, keeping the birds 

 between him and the clearer westernmost sky, so getting 

 a good shot ; but he does not do this often — even if unwise 

 enough to try it — for if shot at whilst feeding, they will 

 forsake the feeding-ground, and go elsewhere. Knowing 

 this, the wise gunner waits till the winter's dawn, when they 

 collect together, just before quitting the feeding-ground — that 

 is his chosen time, for he knows they will not desert his 

 waters, though they may take to leaving the feeding-ground 

 earlier the next morning. A good plan, too, is to sail down to 



