SEA-FOWL SHOOTING. 135 



tinguislied. from other wild fowl by tlie peculiar whistling note 

 they use while on the wing. They have been domesticated in 

 many places, and are generally much admired for their liveliness 

 and beauty. 



These birds quit the lonely and desert regions of the north out 

 the approach of frosty weather, and direct their course to the 

 south, breaking into detached and diverging lines, and spreading 

 themselves over the shores, morasses, and lakes of different 

 countries. Great quantities of them are found in the east, par- 

 ticularly in Egypt, and in the islands of the Mediterranean. 

 They remain in^ these parts during the winter, at the end of 

 which the old birds pair, and the whole tribe, in fuU plumage, 

 take their departure northward about the end of March. While 

 the widgeon remains with us, it frequents the same places, and 

 feeds in the same mode as the maUard, and is often taken in the 

 decoys along with that and other species of the duck tribe. 



There are a great number of birds called divers, and among the 

 number are the scoter, scaup, golden-eye, and morillon, which are 

 calculated to afford the foAvler some share of sport. Colonel 

 Hawker says there are seven kinds of these divers to be found in 

 Great Britain, exclusive of other _ six which are separately classed 

 as the genus Ifergtis. Mr, Daniel says that "they vary much 

 both in plumage and size ; some weighing two pounds and a half, 

 and others a pound less, are caught in the decoys ^vith the ducks. 

 In hard weather, they frequent the shores and tide rivers m great 

 plenty, and are ahnost always, at that season, fat and in good con- 

 dition. They do not fly in such large flocks as many of the duck 

 species, and usually close to the surface of the water, and bear 

 very hard blows from the shot without dropping, rmless struck 

 upon the head or wing. The scoter is seen in prodigious num- 

 bers from November to March on the IVench coasts, especially if 

 the wind be to the north or north-west. The day seems to be 

 spent by these birds between diving and flying to small distances 

 over the water, which they do so low as often to dip their legs in 

 it: they swallow their food whole, and soon digest the shells, 

 which are found crumbled to powder among their excrements. 

 They have been kept tame for some time, and will feed on soaked 

 bread. The flesh tastes fishy in the extreme, and, from this 

 cause, is allowed by the Homan Catholics to be eaten on fast days 

 and in Lent, and indeed, to say the truth, must be a sufficient 

 mortification." 



As far as our own personal experience goes ia the shooting of these 

 divers, we think it amusing enough, but not very profitable. We 

 have never been able to hit one bird out of ten. They are uncom- 

 monly quick in their diving movements ; the m.oment the gun is 

 pointed, down they go. In stormy weather, that is, with a wind 

 from the north-east, cold and frostv, a sportsman by the east coast 

 of Britain may now and then way-lay these birds on their flights, 

 and succeed in bagging a few brace, but this requires great 



