DUCK-SHOOTING. 407 



no means to be calculated upon with any thing like 

 certainty,) a floating flock of Ducks and other sea-fowl 

 would drift within reach, and a well-directed fire might 

 do prodigious execution. 



We have heard of Ave know not how many dozens of 

 birds killed or disabled by this solitary broadside; 

 whether the birds have retired from this part of the 

 river, or the patience of the Duck-shooters has been 

 exhausted, we cannot say; but of late years the sport 

 seems to have been discontinued. 



In the south of England, this mode, is however, still 

 practised. On the coast of Hampshire, the marksman 

 conceals himself till night, and then, listening with atten- 

 tion, directs his course towards the spot on which a flight 

 of sea-fowl has descended to feed: when he judges him- 

 self sufficiently near, he directs his piece, and fires at a 

 venture, and instantly catching up another gun, discharges 

 it where he supposes the flock to be rising on the wing; 

 he then hastens to the spot with his mud-pattens, and 

 gathers up the profits of his toil. 



Wo suspect, indeed, that the birds have seceded from 

 the whole line of the river Dee; for the flights now seen 

 are not to be compared with those which are spoken of 

 as frequent a few years ago, when a couple of experienced 

 Duck-shooters, we believe from the fens of Lincolnshire, 

 spent some weeks on the coast, and realized a considerable 

 sum by supplying the Chester and Liverpool markets. 

 Their plan was this: One of them had a small flat-built 

 boat, without any keel, about sixeen feet long, and three 

 feet broad, drawing about three and a half inches water. 

 It was managed by a pole, twelve feet long, made about 

 six inches broad at each end, which the man held in the 

 centre, and dipping each end in, propelled his boat along;, 

 and when he got near his prey, used two small paddles, 

 only three feet in length, by which he guided his skiff. 

 His gun, which was fixed on a rest, consisted of two 

 immense barrels, about nine feet long, an inch and a 

 quarter in diameter, requiring three-quarters of a pound 



