AMONG THE WILD FOWL 239 



thinks of the cripples never picked up and of the 

 fugitives doomed to die in lingering torments after 

 a raking discharge from the scattering swivel-gun. 

 In the punt or the boat a man may wrap himself 

 up warmly and so bid tolerable defiance to the cold. 

 But ambushing himself among the sand-hills or stalk- 

 ing on foot, he dare not encumber himself with body 

 or foot hamper. Waterproof boots interfere with 

 the silent celerity of the stalk, and heavy dress with 

 the agility which may have to be displayed at a 

 moment's notice. We are told that the warmest 

 wear should be a duffel shooting-jacket, and that 

 only an excess of frost can justify a double pair of 

 stockings. In the heat of youth and the height of 

 excitement, he may plunge into the water after the 

 winged birds like his own shaggy retriever, and for 

 the sake of a leash or so of teal or mallards, risk 

 racking agonies of rheumatism in the future. In any 

 case the seasoned wild-fowl shooter should possess 

 extraordinary stamina and be an exceptionally warm- 

 blooded animal to boot. Our own experience is that 

 steady shooting must in any circumstances greatly 

 depend on bodily comfort, and if sick or sorry, 

 soaking or chilled, the aim must inevitably be pro- 

 portionately affected. When you begin by missing, 

 you are most likely to go on missing ; and when 

 you have been having stray shots at wide intervals, you 

 are apt to break down on unexpected opportunities. 

 Insensibly you become distracted and indifferent in 

 spite of yourself, and have to think about pulling 



