276 FRANK FORESTER'S FIELD SPORTS. 



his eye on the spot where the bird fell, directs the boat forward, 

 and picks the bird up, while the gunner is loading. It is also 

 the boatman's business to keep a sharp look-out, and give the 

 word ' Mark,' when a Rail springs on either side, without being 

 observed by the sportsman, and to note the exact spot where it 

 falls, until he has picked it up ; for this once lost sight of, owing 

 to the sameness in the appearance of the reeds, is seldom found 

 ao^ain. In this manner the boat moves steadily through and 

 over the reeds, the birds flushing and falling, the gunner load- 

 ino- and firing, while the boatman is pushing and picking up. 

 The sport continues an hour oi- two after high water, when 

 the shallowness of the water, and the strength and weight of 

 the floating reeds, as also the backwardness of the game to 

 spring, as the tide decreases, oblige them to return. Several 

 boats are sometimes within a short distance of each other, and 

 a perpetual cracking of musketry prevails above the whole 

 reedy shores of the river. In these excursions, it is not un- 

 common for an active and expert marksman to kill ten or twelve 

 dozen in a tide. They are usually shot singly, though I have 

 known five killed at one discharge of a double-barrelled piece. 

 These instances, however, are rare. The flight of these birds 

 among the reeds, is usually low, and shelter being abundant, is 

 rarely extended to more than fifty or one hundred yards. When 

 vnnged, and uninjured in their legs, they swim and dive with 

 great rapidity, and are seldom seen to rise again. I have seve- 

 ral times, on such occasions, discovered them clinging with their 

 feet to the reeds under the water, and at other times skulking 

 under the floating reeds, with their bills just above the surface ; 

 sometimes, when wounded, they dive, and rising under the gun- 

 wale of the boat, secrete themselves there, moving round as the 

 boat moves, until they have an opportunity of escaping unno- 

 ticed. They are feeble and delicate in evei-ything except the 

 legs, which seem to possess great vigor and energy ; and their 

 bodies being so remarkably thin, are compressed so as to be less 

 than an inch and a quarter through transversely, they are ena- 

 bled to pass between the reeds like rats. When seen, they are 



