168 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



they continue " in cliarm ;" but the instant they are silent, he should 

 be very guarded, and rest awhile on his paddles, when they will pro- 

 bably " open concert" ag-ain : whenever the birds are suddenly silent 

 as the punter approaches, he may be sure they have detected the 

 movements of an enemy, and are suspecting his designs. 



It is very rarely that wild-fowl move about much at night. When 

 once settled at their feeding-places, if undisturbed, they generally 

 remain there till daylight next morning. 



On calm nights, the punter, as he approaches them, will frequently 

 hear most distinctly the clatter of the wild-ducks' bills, whilst busily 

 feeding and dabbling- in the water ; and this may sometimes be heard 

 at a distance of eighty yards and upwards. The clatter very much 

 resembles the sound of water trickling from a slight eminence. 

 "WHien the noise is very distinctly heard, the sportsman may 

 generally conclude he is close enough to fire ; but it is always 

 advisable to take other circumstances into consideration, before 

 pulling trigger. 



In a work of this kind, whilst describing the pleasures of any par- 

 ticular branch of our sport, it is necessary to make special allu- 

 sion to the perils ; the young punter is, therefore, most earnestly 

 cautioned against the dangers of going out of sight of his punt at 

 night, whenever it becomes desirable to traverse the ooze in 

 splashers, in pursuit of winged birds. Unless bright moonlight, it is 

 better to pick up those only which are killed dead, or so severely 

 wounded as to be unable to flutter away : the slightly-wounded 

 birds he had better leave until the tide sets them afloat, so that he 

 can row after them ; or he had best abandon them altogether. At 

 any rate, he should always avoid wandering on the ooze, at night, 

 far away from the punt, because of the great difficulty of finding the 

 way back, and the danger of becoming bewildered ; when the tide 

 may flow so rapidly round the punt, that it cannot be safely regained ; 

 and then the consequences to the punter are fearful to contemplate, 

 as unless help is at hand, his fate must be dreadful.* 



* It is but a few years since two unfortunate youths lost their lives in this way, 

 at Brightlingsea, in Essex. They had anchored then- boat by the bank-side of the 

 ooze, and, having provided themselves with splashers, which they lashed to their 

 feet in the usual manner, proceeded to their calling — that of collecting periwinkles, 

 when they wandered a long distance from their boat ; and, a fog coming on, they 

 became quite bewildered : after wading and groping about several hours in most 

 painful alarm, endeavouring to find their boat, but without success, they cried 

 in vain for help, which, unfortunately, was not at hand ; but their heart- 



