BAT-SHOOTING. 277 



the curling waves, or feeding along the pebbled shores on 

 which the surges burst, and running back, scarcely in 

 time, as it would seem, to escape the deluge of the spray 

 when it breaks and rolls up the shingle in crisp and foamy 

 ripples knots, dottrels, avosets, and others. But those 

 I have named above are of the most consideration. 



The mode of shooting these birds, is to lie concealed in 

 boats, masked with seatrash and covered by reeds, on the 

 edges of the hassocks where the snipe feed, in the small 

 pools left among the grass by the receding tide. On the 

 margin of these, the stools or decoys, admirable represen- 

 tations of the different species, carved in pine wood and 

 painted so as to have deceived the unsuspicious eye of 

 many a deluded greenhorn, are set up, and to them the 

 passing flocks are whistled down by the surpassing skill of 

 the baymen, whose unerring sight instantly recognizes 

 every species, by the motion of its wings and the manner 

 of its flight, when the birds are mere air-drawn specks 

 against the dusky, dawning sky; and whose imitative 

 powers call it down by so perfect a simulation of its cry, 

 that it rarely fails to answer and descend to the wily 

 cheats which tempt it to destruction. 



To these decoys are added the killed birds as fast as 

 they are gathered, which are propped up with sticks, after 

 a manner peculiar to the amphibious human natives, so 

 as to complete the mystification and delusion of the sur- 

 vivors. 



To me, I confess the sport is a dull one, weary, stale, 

 unprofitable ; and the only things that could reconcile me 

 to it, are the chance of obtaining rare and curious ornitho- 



