41 jClIAl'. I A, 



I'ARA. 1'7. 



rise in succession, and these are best fired at jut^t before 

 tliey rise. Others, again, separate on a'ly suspicion of 

 danger, and at these a shot, however long, at the first 

 sign that tliey are on the qui vive is most likely to tell." 



The quickest birds off tlie water, probably, are the 

 G"ad\-all, i>lallard, Garganey and Tufted Duck, and the 

 Spotbill, Shoveller and Marbled Duck are tlie slowest. The 

 Pochards are bad risers, owing to the backward position 

 of their feet, and they make a loud splashing noise when 

 they rise in large numbers. 



NOTES ON INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



SpothiU. — Rise ratlier heavily, says Hinne. and are 

 as easy to shoot as old liens when they first fluster up 

 out of the reeds. 



Mallard. — On being surprised, .va//s Macoillivray^ 

 wliether on shore or water, they spring up at once with a 

 bound, rise obli(pielv witli a bound and Hy off with speed. 



Gadudll. — About the Gradwall, Hume, wlio has just 

 mentioned the Grey Dack (Spotbill) and Mallard in t'lis 

 onier says '' TAke the formpr, they spring up from land 

 and water at a rather sharp angle and usually rise thus 

 for twenty yards before sweeping off on a horizontal course" 

 "Former" is surely a slip for "latter," as Hume is 

 practically reproducing in slightly different language 

 Macgillivray's remarks about the Mallard. 



Wi'ifo'i, — They spring up more readily than the 

 Pintail from the water or the ground and more per- 

 pendicularly than those, in fact in these respects they are 

 almost equal to the Gadwall. {Hume.) 



Wigeoii. — Hvoiie says they are as quick in )ising as 

 the Gadwall, writes St.uart-Buktr. I shoukl have given the 

 palm to the Gadwall fnr quickness in getting off the water, 

 but once up the Wigeon is quite as fast in getting away. 



Hintail. — They rise less easily says Hume, and at a 

 lower angle than Mallard and Gadwall. 



Getting off the water, ivrites S(unrf.-Baker, they are less 

 quick than some ducks, "skittering" along the surface for 

 a few feet ; tliey rise less abruptly also, but, once on the 

 wing, they show to the greatest advantage. 



Qarganty. — The Garganey, Stuart- Baker icohfirmiuij 

 Hwrnet nalen, rise quicker off the water than the Common 

 Teal, getting up obliquely and is quicker away. 



Shovel er. — They rise heavily and slowly. {Hume^. 

 MoilAei hack. — Their tendency in rising is rather 

 Coot-like than Duck-like. tHuvie . 



Rf.'i -crested Pochar'i. — They are very slow iri get- 

 ting off the water, notes Stuart-Baker, and take some time 

 to get their pace up. 



