308 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



estuaries of North Portugal, where the natives had not 

 at the time of my visit thought of practising flight- 

 shooting by night, the wigeon spent the clay on the 

 grassy islands and sand-banks in the river for some weeks 

 after their arrival ; but by the middle of November they 

 habitually went out to sea at the dawn. Then, the only 

 observable difference in their habits was the earliness and 

 extreme regularity with which they flighted at dusk, owing 

 to the accustomed absence of danger. Night after night 

 they would appear within two minutes of the same 

 hour — just before daylight had quite disappeared — and 

 by my watch I could always time myself to leave the 

 snipe-grounds and be in position for "flight," with the 

 certainty of having only a few minutes to wait for their 

 appearance. 



To return to our own coast : it is far from certain that 

 a shot will result, even when one does fall in with a 

 flight of wigeon lingering about the oozes during the 

 day. On the contrary, wigeon are so much more 

 suspicious of a gunning-punt than are mallard, that, 

 especially in mild, open weather, they will rarely permit 

 of approach within any reasonable range. Wigeon 

 under such circumstances, begin to take notice of the 

 presence of a punt as far away as 500 or 600 yards, and 

 as a precautionary measure, they will paddle off into deep 

 water ; then, if pursued thither, will rise at perhaps 300 

 yards, and make straight for the open sea. In severe 

 and frosty weather they are naturally less alert, and a 

 shot may occasionally be obtained in daylight, though 

 they are always a "kittle" sort of fowl, and it is 

 wise to fire as soon as ever a reasonable range has been 

 obtained. 



The two best shots that have been made on this coast, 



