Bird Life and Sport on Achill Island. 117 



That evening we went duck-flighting at Keel Lough. 

 I can picture the scene vividly in my mind's eye. We sat by 

 the edge of the water at a point over which the duck were 

 accustomed to fly as they came in from die sea at eventide, 

 in order to spend the nighl f:^i\ the Lake. Here we waited in 

 silence, taking stock of the scenery round us. And how grand 

 — how magnificent it all was I The great sheet of water — 

 Natuie's mirror, reflected great mountains and wonderful cloud 

 eff^ects, while from afar came the ceaseless roar and murmur 

 of the waves as they broke upon the shore. All around came 

 the cries of the birds, Redshanks, Curlews, and myriad others, 

 their various notes and calls being easy to distinguish by one 

 who knew and loved them as^ I did. Then the moon came 

 up and we saw the mdghty Croaghawn in the distance, whose 

 opposite side was a fearful precipice tenanted by sea birds, 

 and, on the narrow leclges, by the wild goats. All around 

 Nature ruled supreme. Picture it if you can. Mountains, 

 moors, water, and the call of the birds. For a long time we 

 remained lost in contemplation of the wild beauty around 

 us. Then suddenly, " Attention I " A rushing sound over- 

 head, — a momentary glimpse of wild fowl and " bang, bang," 

 and three fine Wigeon fell to our guns. We cautiously re- 

 trieved the spoil and again waited in patience in the hope of 

 shooting a Goose, which we thought might pass over, but we 

 had no luck in this direction. We added a few more Wigeon 

 to our bag, and then started on the homeward trudge. The 

 next day we went after Snipe, which abound on the Achill 

 Marshes. Here we had splendid sport. Michael brought a 

 red Irish setter named " Floss," for this particular work, 

 and it was wonderful to watch it. Floss appeared to scent 

 a Snipe ajt an incredible distance^ and would work nearer and 

 nearer, until she "set " it at a distance of a few yards. L^p 

 would fly the Snipe with that curious zig-zag Higlit which 

 every sportsman can recognize, followed by the reports of our 

 guns, and usually with satisfactory results from our point of 

 view. On this occasion the one and only Jack Snipe that we 

 saw, fell to my gun. it rose a long distance in front but 

 soon settled again. Floss flushed it and it fell to a single 

 report. Jack Snipe can be easily distinguiaheifroiu the Com- 

 mon Snipe by their much smaller size. For this reason they 



