116 NEW SB UNS WICK. 



move their wings (comparatively) so slowly, that the 

 beginner does not give them credit for the great rapidity 

 of their flight, which equals, if it does not exceed, that of 

 any other wild fowl. The beginner, too, is apt particu- 

 larly if an excitable person to fiddle with his gun and 

 bob his head about when he sees and hears the approach 

 of the geese ; and any movement, no matter how slight, is 

 fatal to his chance of success. The sight of the decoys is 

 the signal for the geese to give tongue, which they do 

 with a will, making a deafening row, and flying past or 

 over the decoys at the distance of 100 yards or so. 

 During this time the sportsman must not move, any more 

 than the block of ice he represents ; and the geese, having 

 satisfied themselves that all is right, sweep round in the 

 air, and lower rapidly towards the decoys. As soon as 

 they come directly opposite to the gunner he raises his 

 gun, and the geese, alarmed by the movement, hurl them- 

 selves up ten yards or so in the air with a couple of 

 powerful strokes of their wings. This is the moment 

 to pull the trigger, selecting, if possible, a broadside 

 shot. The dead birds are made to do service as decoys, 

 by propping up their heads with forked sticks, and all 

 stains of blood must be effaced from the ice, as, where 

 all is white, a small spot of colour serves to alarm the 

 geese. 



Although in very stormy or foggy weather geese come 

 quite close to the hide, and even have been known to 

 alight among the decoys, yet, as a general rule, the sports- 

 man rarely gets a chance under forty or fifty yards, con- 

 sequently good guns and good powder are requisite to 

 ensure success. 1 have done great execution with a single 

 muzzle-loader No. 6-bore, which I used to load with seven 



