156 FIELD SHOOTING. 



principle. Instead of driving up, as if going \>y, 

 he must run fast, as if intending to pass, and 

 must not incline his course in towards the flock. 

 These birds seem to act as if they reasoned and 

 arrived at certain conclusions. These conclusions 

 would be correct enough if the craft of the man 

 were not exerted to deceive them by false appear- 

 ances. When the shooter is abreast of the flock, 

 he must come to a stop, and, making a quarter- 

 whirl, fire quickly. He must be quick, for the 

 moment he stops in his forward course up gets 

 the flock. I never knew a man who would not 

 thus circumvent and shoot among a flock of golden 

 plover and curlew in this manner, if he had the 

 skill to achieve an opportunity to do so. I have 

 heard men say they never killed any plover except 

 on the wing. I can readily believe it ; and will 

 add, very few in any way. All I can say is that 

 I should not like to be the plover when these 

 parties had a chance to put in a barrel under such 

 circumstances as those above described. The 

 horse and buggy is the easiest way to go to work, 

 and that itself is somewhat difficult. The man 

 who undertakes to run up must be swift of foot, 

 good in the wind, and so steady of nerve that he 

 will not be flustered and his hand will not shake 



