308 WILDFOWL SHOOTING. 



shore, and the poor fowlers would be better paid for 

 their hard labour : add to which, this would prevent 

 the depredations that are not unfrequently committed 

 by these armed vagabonds. As it is, however, the 

 lords of manors may forbid their carrying guns, or 

 otherwise trespassing, in parts where the tide does 

 not flow, such as the waste land, &c. 



In some, though now very few, retired places, where 

 all this is not so much the case, the diversion of what 

 is called flight shooting is excellent to those who are 

 neither prepared nor disposed to follow wildfowl in a 

 more scientific manner. I shall, therefore, endeavour 

 to give a few hints on the subject. 



It is well known, that the generality of wildfowl 

 keep constantly passing in small " trips," about the 

 dusk of the evening ; and that, after having collected 

 in the night, they return in a few large flocks at, or 

 before, the dawn of morning. No plan for a small 

 gun, therefore, answers so well as to wait then pa- 

 tiently for them, and fire as they pass to and fro. 

 They will, at these times, seldom take notice of one 

 who stands against a bush or bank, provided he re- 

 mains perfectly still, is not conspicuously dressed, 

 and wears a seal's-down, or other kind of cap, instead 

 of a hat. If such places are not to be found, an am- 

 bush may be easily made. Thus situated, he will be 

 able to distinguish the different sorts of fowl, long 

 before they come within shot, and be struck with the 

 wild retirement of the scene. He will observe the 

 whistle, which announces the approach of wigeon 



