Waterfowl 69 



and he remained just above, grasping at any one 

 that appeared, and forcing them to go under with- 

 out getting a chance to breathe. ^Soon he had sin- 

 gled out one ; when kept down a shorter and shorter 

 time at each dive, it soon grew exhausted, was a lit- 

 tle too slow in taking a dive, and was grasped in the 

 talons of its foe. 



In duck-shooting where there are reeds, grass, 

 and water-lilies the cripples should be killed at once, 

 even at the cost of burning some additional powder, 

 many kinds of waterfowl being very expert at div- 

 ing. Others, as widgeon and shoveler, do not dive, 

 merely trying to hide in some hole in the bank; 

 and these are generally birds that fall to the touch 

 of shot much more easily than is the case with their 

 tougher relatives. 



There are two or three species of birds tolerably 

 common over the plains which we do not often reg- 

 ularly hunt, but which are occasionally shot for the 

 table. These are the curlew, the upland or grass 

 plover, and the golden plover. All three kinds be- 

 long to the family of what are called wading birds ; 

 but with us it is rare to see any one of them near 

 water. 



The curlew is the most conspicuous; indeed its 

 loud, incessant clamor, its erect carriage, and the 

 intense curiosity which possesses it, and which makes 

 it come up to circle around any strange object, all 

 combine to make it in springtime one of the most 

 conspicuous features of plains life. At that time 

 curlews are seen in pairs or small parties, keeping 



