214 WILD-FOWLING AFLOAT BY NIGHT 



in seeing fowl on the starlit shallows ; but much 

 depends on the natural surroundings of the locality 

 in which one is punting, and the numbers of birds 

 which one is likely to fall in with. A few scattered 

 ducks feeding under a high shore would scarcely be 

 visible on a starlight night ; but no one gifted with 

 ordinary vision could fail in making out a large pack of 

 widgeon densely grouped together in the open. When 

 the sky is clear and bright overhead and the horizon 

 free from haze, birds may frequently be shot on 

 the open shallows; but I confess that, in my ex- 

 perience, it is not such an easy matter to see them 

 in small sheltered bays. 



The starlight shooter, however, seldom reaps the 

 full reward of his shot, even under the most favour- 

 able conditions. At close range, of course, those of 

 his victims which lie within a few yards on either side 

 of the punt will be gathered ; but, outside this limited 

 radius, many will drift away in the darkness and be 

 overlooked unless additional assistance is obtained 

 in searching for them. In a locality where shore 

 shooters abound the coast is regularly patrolled 

 in the early morning by these and others, who 

 doubtless find the shortcomings of the punt-gunners 

 in this respect a source of considerable profit to 

 them. Some idea of the extent of the losses which 



