104 SHOOTING THE DUCK 



guns any birds which show themselves inclined to 

 take a wrong line. When all is ready the beater 

 advances slowly and silently. The moment he sees 

 duck on the water, unless the birds rise at sight let 

 him flutter a white handkerchief. As long as there 

 are duck on the wing he must remain motionless : 

 there is always the likelihood that the birds will wheel 

 and give the guns a second, or even a third, chance. 

 When he sees, or when a whistle tells him, that they 

 are clear away, he endeavours to spring another 

 bunch by similar means. After he has sprung all the 

 birds it is possible to spring by sight, the cover should 

 be quietly beaten out, and finally a dog should be 

 allowed to run through. It often happens that an 

 odd bird or two, alarmed at the unaccountable fear 

 displayed by those duck which have been sprung 

 through seeing the beater, hide themselves in the 

 overhanging cover, and can only be put on the wing 

 by a dog. Of course, it is not always possible to 

 spring duck in small bunches ; the whole party may 

 be packed on the water at the time, and may rise at 

 the first alarm. The more the pond is broken by 

 islands the better is the prospect of springing the 

 birds satisfactorily. 



It should be made a rule that no duck are to be 

 fired at till they are above or past the line of guns, 



