WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 287 



loch shooting — a noble highland sport, as good, in 

 fact, as any of their wild diversions — than another 

 with quicker movements, and perhaps a finer nose. 

 Many of the cripples in this shooting take refuge in 

 reeds and bushes, and the keen tempered dog is apt 

 to overrun them, ^^thus losing time; whereas, the 

 other slowly tracks them, one by one, to their hiding 

 place. His third essential is a small pocket tele- 

 scope. Thus equipped, he enters upon his mid 

 fowling, which combines, of course, the pursuit of all 

 aquatic birds coming under the title of wild 

 fowl. As the method of sporting is the same with 

 all, so far as the principle is concerned, our obser- 

 vations will be understood not only as appHcable to 

 wild geese, but to 



WILD DUCK, WIDGEON, AND TEAL SHOOTING. 



Having reached the shore of the water which he 

 purposes shooting, the young wild fowler will look 

 out for his game, taking heed he himself is not 

 observed. For this intent he should creep cautiously 

 to the first spot commanding a view of the usual 

 resorts of wild fowl. Let this be done wdth the 

 minutest care, as the quarry he is looldng for so 

 nearly resembles the stones and tufts, and general 

 covers they frequent, that he will find it very difficult 

 to distinguish one from the other. Should he make 

 out any water fowls afloat in shore, let him then, 

 with his glass, scrutinise the margin of the lake or 



