272 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



of tlie sportsman's victims fall into the water. If into shallow 

 places, the dog- retrieves every bird, whether dead, wing-ed, or 

 otherwise wounded ; but deep water is very trying", even to the best 

 of dog's, because wounded wild-fowl, when closely pursued, very 

 frequently dive, and so lead a severe and difficult chase. 



A pocket telescope will be found of g-reat service for this sport, 

 particularly in the locality of lochs and inland waters, where it 

 becomes necessary to stalk the birds. Having- discovered a number 

 of wild-fowl on the water, through the aid of the telescope, the sports- 

 man should keep his eye upon them a few moments if doubtful as to 

 the species ; by so doing- he will soon discover what they are, 

 throug-h one or more of the party treading- the water and flapping- its 

 wing-s ; an irresistible habit of wild-fowl, especially widg-eon, when 

 not suspecting- dang-er.* 



When the frost is so severe as to interfere with the navigation of 

 tidal rivers and ports which become blockaded with ice, the shore- 

 g-unner will find no difficulty in obtaining- g-ood sport. It is then an 

 easy matter for a man with tolerable endurance to kill his two and 

 three pair of duck or widg-eon daily, by looking- out sharply along- the 

 coast or boundaries of these blockaded waters. He has only to con- 

 ceal himself behind some large piece of ice which the tide may have 

 turned up edgeways a few feet above the surface of the ground, and 

 the probability is that he will not long- remain concealed ere his 

 eff"orts are rewarded with a shot, for the colder it is the more restless 

 are the birds, and the more indifferent they are to danger. 



At such times they are flying- about in every direction ; cold and 

 hungry, eagerly searching for food and water, resting here a minute 

 and there a minute on bits of floating- ice, and flying to and fro, call- 

 ing to their companions with wailing and clamorous notes. 



In the neighbourhood of high cliffs and rugged coasts the wild- 

 fowl shooter will find less difficulty in hiding himself from observa- 

 tion than when on an exposed and open coast. 



* Colqulioun saj'S of the shore-guuner : " His first object should be to see his 

 game without being seen himself, even if they are at too great a distance to show 

 signs of alarm. To effect this he must creep cautiously forward to the first point 

 that will command a view of the shore for some distance ; then, taking out his glass, 

 he must reconnoitre it by inches, noticing every tuft of grass or stone, to which 

 wild-fowl asleep often bear so close a resemblance, that, except to a very quick eye, 

 assisted by a glass, the difference is not perceptible. If the loch be well frequented, 

 he will most likely first discover a flock of divers ; but he must not be in a hurry to 

 pocket his glass until he has thoroughly inspected the shore, in case some more 

 desirable fowl may be feeding or asleep upon it." — Vide " The Moor and Loch." 



