242 THE WILD-FOWLKR, 



by one, carries tlie wounded birds to bis master asbore. Some of 

 tbese men make almost as g-ood a Hving- at sbore-g'un sbooting- as a 

 punter : tbeir success is sometimes astonisbing, wben provided witb a 

 g'ood dog' and useful gun. 



Tbeir pursuits are not entirely confined to nigbt-sbooting'. Tbey 

 make early excursions along- tbe lee-sbore, of a morning, at day- 

 break ; and if tbere bas been mucb execution done by tbe piuiters on 

 tbe nigbt previously, a vast number of wing-ed and wounded birds 

 are collected. A well-trained retriever is all tbat is required to find 

 tbem ; and, incredible as it may appear to some of my readers, I 

 assure tbem I bave known instances wbere one man bas secured from 

 twelve to fifteen pair of winged and wounded widgeon and duck, on 

 a sing"le morning-' s excursion, witbout firing- a sbot. If consi- 

 dered for a moment, tbis will not appear so marvellous as mig'bt at 

 first be imag-ined. A punt-gun, cbarged witb tbree-quarters of a 

 pound of sbot, and fired at a company of widg-eon or a paddling- of 

 ducks, witbin rang-e, makes terrible slaugbter ; in wbicb numbers of 

 wounded escape tbe grasp of tbe punter, more especially by nigbt. 



Wounded birds by instinct seek tbe sbore, -tbe influence of tbe 

 salt water upon tbeir wounds probably creating a smarting- pain, 

 wbicb can only be alleviated by rest on land. 



Tbe man wbo desires to become an efficient wild-fowl sportsman 

 must be prepared to face disappointments witbout murmuring. He 

 may be a fair sbot, and well experienced : still, he will be liable to 

 frequent disappointments j and in no brancli of tbe sport will be find 

 so many as in wild-duck sbooting. 



An occurrence as vexatious as any I ever met witb, in my sporting 

 adventures, happened one moonlight nigbt, wben the weather was 

 severe and the birds were numerous. I had detected, by sound, a 

 fine paddling of ducks, feeding in a small bay, tbe shore of which 

 was skirted by a thick copse ; and to the shade of the latter I pro- 

 ceeded in my punt. Tbe birds were feeding in some grass on tbe 

 shore ; yet, although a bright nigbt, I could not exactly discover 

 where the bulk of birds rested. Several stray fowl could be ob- 

 served 5 and had I fired anywhere into tbe grass, I believe my sbot 

 would have been fatal to several, so numerous were tbey : but, eager 

 for the best chance, I waited a few minutes, hoping to make tbe 

 desired discovery, wben an old mallard actually marched witbin ten 

 yards of my punt, and took alarm. Whilst acting- with twofold 

 caution, wben I found tbe birds so near, the mallard had 



