206 WILD-FOWLING AFLOAT BY NIGHT 



calm, when a deathly stillness pervades the scene, 

 widgeon are unusually silent and restless when 

 feeding at night. On several occasions I have been 

 so misled by their silence that I have paddled my 

 punt almost in shot of them without having the 

 least idea of their proximity until they began to rise 

 up from the water in front of my punt. At long 

 intervals the sentinel birds may give the fowler a hint 

 as to their whereabouts, and if his ear be quick to 

 locate the direction from which the sound proceeds 

 he may at length get near enough to hear the ' clatter ' 

 of their bills as they dabble in the shallow water. 

 Immediately their suspicions are aroused, however, 

 they cease feeding, and listen and look around for 

 any confirmation of their alarm. The least noise or 

 movement which he may then make at this critical 

 moment will set them on the alert, the sentinel birds 

 will immediately whistle their warning note, and the 

 whole pack take wing. On the other hand, if they 

 neither hear nor see anything to render them uneasy, 

 they may again settle down to feed and eventually 

 allow him to approach them. 



The question may naturally be asked How can 

 you take proper aim at fowl when shooting by night, 

 since oftentimes you cannot see whether the sight of 

 your big gun bears high or low on the birds unless, of 



