130 GAME-BIRDS AT HOME, 



sunning themselves until ready to start for the 

 pond on which they will spend the warm hours 

 of midday floating on the water. Geese rise 

 against the wind, and, although rapid flyers when 

 once under way, are slow in starting. If we dash 

 upon them from the windward side, every second 

 they lose in getting under way will carry the 

 wagon ten or fifteen yards nearer, and as they 

 will try to rise against the wind they will lose 

 several seconds in the breeze now blowing. 



The mustangs are urged into a fair trot on a 

 line that will carry us a hundred yards or more 

 to the windward of the geese. Don't look at 

 the birds, nor intimate that you know of their ex- 

 istence or would give a cent for the whole flock 

 if you did. But let every gun be where it can 

 be quickly handled, and let the driver have his 

 whip in the same condition. And let each man 

 keep his wits equally well in hand. 



The wagon rolls along until nearly opposite 

 the geese. Then it is suddenly wheeled, the 

 horses are lifted with a quick undercut of the 

 whip and in a second are in wild career directly 

 toward the geese. The soft pink of the painted- 

 cup and the creamy heads of the buttercups fly 



