56 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



back is slate-grey, and upon each side of the neck he has 

 a white patch. The female has similar plumage. Unlike 

 other geese, the brent never feeds on dry land, nor have 

 we seen him on land. He gathers his sustenance from the 

 seashore and in the estuaries, frequenting the ooze and 

 shallow water, and collecting floating seaweed, and more 

 especially sea grass. This latter is the favourite food, and 

 in the presence of brent, or black geese, as they are often 

 termed, can at once be recognised, as, while other wild 

 geese bite off wet grass as if cut with a pair of shears, the 

 brent tears it up, eating the white part of the root, and 

 throwing the other away. Brent visit these islands in 

 thousands, and, no matter how vigorous the gunning may 

 be, it only renders them more wary, but does not drive the 

 flocks away. 



With regard to guns and ammunition, as upon most 

 other subjects, the doctors differ. Under such circum- 

 stances, wise sportsmen steer a course of their own, and 

 when doing this we have found that, as far as shore- 

 shooting is concerned, heavy guns are a mistake. Some 

 persons will advocate a double-barrel 8-bore. Now, 

 this is not only an ammunition- wasting weapon, but 

 terribly cumbersome in the strongest hands. If an 8-bore 

 must be carried, let it be a single-barrel, as it is quickly 

 loaded. What, however, can beat a 12- bore double with 

 3^dr. of powder and ijoz. of No. 4 shot ? It will stop 

 anything, even a Hooper swan, and, as it weighs only 

 about 71b. or 81b., the weight is not excessive. It should 

 be furnished with a shoulder strap or sling, to leave the 

 hands free when birds are not near. In our opinion, the 

 only proper place to use a large shoulder-gun is from a 

 boat. As far as powders are concerned, we prefer the 

 white nitro compounds, as black powder, even if it hits 

 harder, generates so much smoke that it is a nuisance 

 in heavy weather. No shot should be without a supply 

 of brass cartridge cases. They can be charged several 

 times, do not stick or jam in the gun, and hit much harder 

 than cardboard cases. 



A day with duck properly carried through is not only an 

 exciting but a very arduous amusement. Of course, it 



