88 SHOOTING THE DUCK 



minutes. In December of the same year six guns 

 including the late Lord Cairns, Sir Richard Graham, 

 and Mr. Guthrie killed no fewer than 1,317 duck in 

 one day, giving an average of 219^ head per gun, 

 thus quite eclipsing the sensational days of a few 

 weeks earlier and establishing what is likely to 

 remain a record. 



When these big shoots at Netherby are organised 

 the keepers, so one is given to understand, have a 

 method of working the birds into enclosures and 

 releasing them a batch at a time. Sir Richard 

 Graham takes the keenest interest in his duck, 

 and when at Netherby rarely fails to make a daily 

 visit to the various ponds. The Netherby duck 

 farms are reputed to be the finest in the kingdom. 

 When feeding-time comes a large quantity of corn 

 is scattered on the ground. Then the keeper winds 

 his horn. In response to the well-known call vast 

 numbers of birds come sweeping and swirling through 

 the air from all directions. Tame though these duck 

 are in the ordinary course of their existence, when 

 driven they prove themselves as quick on the wing 

 as any wild-bred bird. A man must be a crack shot 

 to acquit himself well at Netherby. 



The shooting poacher rarely devotes attention 

 to duck, for the chances of making a bag are too 



