1 66 SHOOTING THE GOOSE 



to 137. The best shooting at Holkham is always 

 obtained in stormy weather, when the ground is 

 covered with snow ; and the usual method of killing 

 them is by ' flighting.' The gunners separate on the 

 marshes, and go off in different directions to ascertain 

 the line which the geese are following, and then find 

 whatever shelter is available, behind which they hide 

 themselves. A gate sometimes answers the purpose, 

 and if there is snow on the ground the shooter usually 

 envelops himself in a nightshirt or an overall, and 

 a white cap, in order to make himself less liable to 

 detection. The railway runs through the Holkham 

 marshes, and many a time, Mr. Napier says, he has 

 passed flocks of geese within long shot of the train, 

 of which they took but little notice, simply stretching 

 their necks to look around. 



There are several other grey goose resorts in our 

 islands, which are, perhaps, less known to sportsmen 

 than those above referred to ; but all of the best are, 

 I believe, without exception, in the hands of private 

 owners, who strictly preserve these sanctuaries for 

 their own and their friends' use. 



From the foregoing observations it is evident that 

 only a comparatively limited number of fowlers can 

 participate in the pleasures of shooting grey geese at 

 their inland haunts. This exclusive feature is, how- 



