MORE WADERS 77 



preservers. And they also were shore-shooters ; 

 they never set a bird up in a false position or with 

 unnatural surroundings. 



None of them knew exactly what fowl did visit 

 those places ; but I am sure of one thing, birds that 

 are considered very rare now were common then ; 

 sometimes the shots at rare birds are snap-shots, 

 frequently missed ; those of my readers who have 

 made them will know why. A good shot frequently 

 does not drop his bird. Shooting on the flats is not 

 like shooting Partridges ; but the dufter, if no one is 

 near him, of course never misses, and he always 

 brinofs fowl home — bought ones. I have found it a 

 little awkward to be asked to admire a couple of 

 stale Dun-birds as freshly-killed Teal. 



The Black-winged Stilt is a long-legged bird that 

 has been met with as a wandering migrant, so we 

 may just notice it here. At one time, before the 

 fens were drained, these Stilts visited them. Nothing 

 could be more natural, for thev could wade or swim 

 in the shallower splashes to their hearts' content. 

 Cultivation has done much, but when the fens and 

 cars ^ were drained, the whole fen fauna went with 

 the water — animals, birds, fish, insects, and reptiles — 

 and the Stilts that very rarely come to us now can 

 only be classed as long-legged wanderers. 



The Greenshank is a shy bird that breeds on the 

 lonely moors and mosses in the northern parts of 

 Scotland. It is not common even there, in com- 



^ A pool used to be called a car. The word is still used locally 

 for marsh. 



