SHORE-SHOOTING 77 



always select some material many shades lighter. The best 

 record I know of a certain bit of shore-shooting was made by 

 a gunner clad in pure white upper garments hutted amongst 

 chalk-stones, which formed a breakwater and extended some 

 distance out into the sea. It was an eye-straining under- 

 taking to detect this gunner as he sat motionless amongst the 

 stones even at a few paces from his hiding-place. This is 

 exactly what is to be desired under any circumstances. In 

 stormy weather oilskins are indispensable, but, for a cap, a close- 

 fitting oilskin is better than a peaked sou'-wester, which is 

 sure to bother one when a shot is being taken, by tipping 

 forward over the eyes. Oilskins are best made with the pure 

 oil and a suitable drier, and not coloured with black or brown. 

 Left as oiled, they are light yellow. A pair of sound water- 

 tight boots are necessary to comfort. Thin leather thigh-boots 

 are best, for then you can wade through the shallows and 

 your legs are spray-proof. A pair of oilskin knickers, not 

 extending below the knees, drawn over the top of the thigh- 

 boots, will prevent splashes of water from entering the top of 

 the boots, and so keep the wearer perfectly dry as well as 

 partly damp-proof when sitting on a cold, wet seat. Do not 

 invest in rubber thigh-boots. Unless the coast is sandy and 

 the walking good and easy, rubber boots will not stand long 

 use. With rough wear amongst mud and stones they soon 

 give out, and it is after long years of personal experience that 

 I advocate no other than leather boots for wildfowling, as 

 they are warm and strong. Waders are useless, because 

 kneeling and crawling over stones soon tear them to pieces. 



As has already been said, shore-shooting may be classed 

 as of two distinct kinds, which are in reality but two 

 different methods of carrying out one and the same kind of 

 shooting. The birds shot by adopting either of the ways are 

 generally the same species, viz. waders and wildfowl. Un- 

 doubtedly hutting is by far the better plan of the two, as far 



