EIDER-DUCK SHOOTING. 355 



t- 



as a set-off, the spray that, in rough weather, dashes over 

 the boat, is exceedingly inconvenient to both the gunner 

 and the gun. Erom the thickness of the Eider's feathers, 

 more particularly in winter and spring, when this bird is 

 in full plumage, it takes a great deal to bring it down, 

 and large shot are consequently requisite. Of Eider 

 alone, nevertheless, a young friend and myself have 

 thus not unfrequently bagged from eight to ten in a day, 

 and during one particular season (including a few killed 

 by other means) close upon a hundred of these birds. 



The Long-tailed Hareld, the Sheldrake, the Merganser, 

 and many other species of aquatic birds, as well as waders, 

 often fell to our guns, so that the spoil, if not always 

 considerable, was at least varied, which to my notion adds 

 much to the pleasure of a day's shooting. With us, 

 moreover, few or none of the birds bagged were thrown 

 away, for such of them as were considered uneatable 

 were in most instances stuffed and added to our little 

 Natural History collection. 



The accompanying illustration, by M. Korner, faith- 

 fully represents the nature of the Gothenburg " Skar- 

 giird," and the way in which we were accustomed to bear 

 down on Eider and other fowl. Erom stem to stern our 

 little craft was less than sixteen feet in length, but she 

 was, nevertheless, a tolerably good " sea boat," a needful 

 quality, as we were often exposed to very tempestuous 

 weather. But though so small, she was perhaps better 

 adapted to the purpose than one of a larger size, for let 

 the water be ever so shallow, or the passage between the 

 rocks and islets ever so confined, we could still sail with 

 impunity almost anywhere. And even if she struck on a 

 sunken rock, as not unfrequently happened, no great harm 

 was done, for by jumping into the water and giving her a 

 shove, she was in general soon afloat and away again. 

 Not so with a large boat, for in the event of her being 



2 A 2 



