. WHEN MOULTING. 423 



considerable distance away from the strand, seeking their 

 food, or reposing among the tussocks in the neighbouring 

 bogs and morasses. 



" At this season," so we are told by Lieutenant F. Robson, 

 " the Finnish ny-byggare, or squatters, as well as the Lapps, 

 get up regular hunts. Provided with several dogs, they 

 proceed to the morasses where geese are known to resort, 

 which, although frequently very wet and difficult to traverse, 

 are not impassable. Fire-arms are needless, it being consi- 

 dered superfluous to waste powder and shot when the birds 

 may be obtained without ; the men therefore are only 

 equipped with stout sticks. When arrived at the scene of 

 action, the dogs are slipped from their couplings, and start 

 the birds, whose only means of escape is by reaching the 

 nearest water. Should they succeed in this, they commonly 

 manage to get off; but should they not be so fortunate, the 

 dogs soon come up with them, and by a bite in the head or 

 neck, presently put them out of their misery. In the mean- 

 while the sportsman, with his stick, kills such as he falls in 

 with. But as on these occasions the birds retreat very quickly, 

 he would have much difficulty in overtaking them if he did 

 not, during the chase, proceed on the principle of never 

 running directly after, but alongside of and past them, 

 and as if not aware of their presence; in which case they, 

 believing themselves unobserved, squat at once, and conceal 

 themselves in the grass, where they remain entirely motion- 

 less, so that one may go directly up to the spot, and secure 

 them with the hand. 



" The wild geese often lie so close as to suffer themselves 

 to be wounded and mangled by the dogs, without giving the 

 least signs of life ; but swans, and even geese, will neverthe- 



