BRANT SHOOTING. 285 



not live on an open flat. In the heavy wind the brant 

 do not rise high as they do in Hght weather, but hug 

 the water and decoy readily. 



"Often brant will be found in scattered bunches 

 along the edges of off-shore flats — called middle 

 grounds by the gunners — and in the channels. There 

 they swim about, picking up driftweed, often taking 

 to wing and flying short distances and again alighting 

 as soon as they get sight of a tempting lot of grass. 

 At such times good shooting may be had by rigging 

 out as near as possible to the place where the birds are, 

 and by carefully sailing boat to leeward of the brant, 

 when they can gradually be worked up to the decoys. 



"Brant are sometimes held in the bay by thousands 

 when the wind is unfavorable to their northern flight, 

 and if the wind changes suddenly and blows from the 

 southward, they will leave in a body and usually on 

 the flood tide. Many a time I have sat on the side of 

 the box and watched the procession go by, flock after 

 flock, cackling and talking. Decoys are then useless, 

 as they pay no attention to them. Now and then a 

 flock will stop in their onward flight to fly around in 

 a circle — to see if their steering gear is all right, as 

 the gunners explain it. When they reach the east end 

 of the bay, the birds mount high in air and are gone for 

 another year." 



The following spirited account of brant shooting 

 from a battery behind a seaweed bunk was also kindly 

 written for me by Mr. Purdy: 



