104 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
been much shot at) a flat-bottomed craft something after the 
lines of a proper duck-punt, but deeper, will often deceive 
them. They take such a punt to be a larger boat further from 
them than it really is. Scoter duck, speaking from a general 
standpoint, lack the keen cunning which is so remarkable in 
the mallard, widgeon, and shelduck. The golden-eye, pochard, 
and tufted duck are in many respects wary fowl, and when 
driven from fresh water to the tide by frost they join flocks of 
scoter, longtail, and scaup, and to a degree lead or post them- 
selves on guard for the welfare of the community and dis- 
appointment of the wildfowler. Sea-duck, when intent on a 
particular object, almost invariably fly straight on, heedless of 
any immediate or proximate danger. Even a flurried visible 
movement of the gunner fails to alter their straightness of 
flight. It is a well-known fact, however, that birds behave in 
varying manners at different places, and the actions of a 
species of wildfowl at one spot cannot be fixed as the general 
habits of the bird. The best sizes of shot to use for sea-duck 
shooting are Nos. 3 and 2. A weapon not less than a choke- 
bored stout 12, capable of firing a heavy load for this gauge, 
is required to kill sea-duck, for they are very tough fowl 
indeed. 
Another form of flighting not yet referred to may often be 
enjoyed near the coast. This is plover-flighting. The species 
are the green plover or lapwing and the golden plover. These 
birds are day feeders, and in mild winters become very regular 
in their habits. They wing each night just after sunset to 
some large fallow field or open common to spend the night. 
At daybreak next morning they return. Sometimes they fly 
high, but if a stiff breeze blows they invariably keep low. At 
such times they afford fine practice with the gun, and, judging 
by the number of empty cartridge cases which often remains 
to tell how many shots have been fired, it will be noted that 
the bag is usually far from proportionately filled. Taking a 
