i8 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



sport he does not allow himself any looseness of expression. 

 He must speak of — 



"A skein of geese (when flying). 

 A gaggle of geese (when on the water). 

 A herd of curlews or of swans. 

 A congregation of plovers. 

 A whisp of snipe. 



A paddling of ducks (when on the water). 

 A team of ducks (when flying). 

 A spring of teal. 

 An exaltation of larks. 

 A desert of lapwings. 

 A company of widgeon. 

 A sord of mallards. 

 A sedge of herons. 

 A covert of coots. ..." 



And many other phrases and vv^ords are his also, peculiar to his 

 sport alone. 



I have endeavoured to give some slight indication of what 

 wildfowling means to its votaries. Wildfowlers will under- 

 stand, but I find no words to express its fascination to others. 



But when a great goose falls to the gun, or the punt gun 

 is fired successfully, while the "cripple-stopper" echoes its big 

 brother . . . These are moments the gods upon Olympus 

 never knew ! 



