86 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



these are not to be found, his chances of stalking any fowl are 

 remote. On mud-flats, stalking wildfowl without the aid of a 

 small punt or some such flat-bottomed float is usually im- 

 practicable, but it is not beyond the range of possibility to 

 have channels cut in the mud along which to crawl. This 

 kind of work is very hard and frightfully dirty, but neverthe- 

 less it is practised with success in some parts of our isles. 

 Towards nightfall shore-birds and wildfowl are less suspicious 

 than during the day — at least they seem to lose much of their 

 usual wariness, and consequently are then more easily stalked. 

 A primitive craft like a "mud-boat" or "skid-board" can, 

 with a skilful worker, often succeed in nearing within range of 

 the fowl. Here keen, quick sight and sharp hearing are 

 highly necessary faculties for the fowler. Perhaps this form 

 of shooting connects shore-shooting with flighting. It is 

 one in which the fowler has to work to fowl intent on feeding, 

 and, like flight-shooting proper, to gain good sport, he must 

 be where the fowl come, and therefore the two branches of 

 shooting are very similar, except that in the latter case the 

 fowler seeks his shots on the ground. 



