io6 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



while the landlord is not in a position to know this. One 

 means suggests itself — become a member of the Wildfowlers' 

 Association, and hold as such an unblemished character, 

 which, of course, bears proof and, no doubt, a considerable 

 amount of weight when explaining the fairness of proposed 

 and intended movements. Besides, I know many landowners 

 who never fail to grant permits of this kind to all genuine 

 persons, but they will not entertain a poacher. Several of the 

 proprietors I refer to are themselves members of the Associa- 

 tion, and thus are anxious to instil a spirit of genuineness and 

 purity into sport. There is room for all. The birds are there 

 in undeniable numbers — more now than ever — and who would 

 stand in the way of a keen sportsman legitimately exercising 

 his energy on what is the common property of all men ? 



The flight-lines of plover usually differ from those of duck 

 by extending broadwise over at least a mile. The wind has 

 much to do with concentrating the birds to a particular portion 

 of the "belt" of flight, so to speak. Plover cover a given 

 route, and generally pursue it, no matter how the wind blows. 

 Coming with the wind, however, they invariably keep high, 

 but when heading the wind, especially a strong one, they fly 

 low. It pays to observe the directions the birds take and note 

 at the same time the way the wind blows. So much depends 

 on circumstances, according to locality, that beyond the 

 general movements of the birds the gunner perforce must be 

 left to his own resources, always bearing in mind that close 

 observation is one of the great secrets in the art of wild- 

 fowling. 



Adjacent to the sea and tidal rivers at various places 

 around our coasts lie excellent marshy haunts of shore-birds 

 and wildfowl. Many of these marshes are free to 

 MARSHES *^^ public, but it must be noted that several (especi- 

 ally those which extend some considerable distance 

 inland) are private, and in certain instances are preserved. It 



