ON CONTINENTAL WATERS 233 



are not so desperately fond of the reedy marshes, and 

 they will occasionally, just after low water, collect 

 together in tempting companies on the edge of a sand- 

 bank and perhaps give a chance of a shot. As an 

 example, on January 3, 5, and 6, 1900, my note-book 

 records 1 22 wild-fowl, of which 96 were widgeon obtained 

 in two shots with the punt-gun. This occurred in mild 

 open weather with a light southerly wind. The effect of 

 frost on the habits of widgeon is somewhat curious. The 

 covering of their feeding-grounds by ice, and the diffi- 

 culty of procuring food appears to give them a fright, 

 and if a frost sets in the following winter, the birds, 

 apparently remembering the last year's hardships, leave 

 Holland en masse. This state of things, however, does 

 not last long, their fears quickly subside, and in a season 

 or two widgeon will be as plentiful as ever throughout the 

 Dutch water-ways during the whole winter. 



In addition to the ordinary fowl, grey geese may 

 often be numbered by thousands at Veere, and as frost 

 is by no means necessary for sport with them, some- 

 thing can always be atte'mpted provided the weather be 

 fine enough. 



Providence has an occasional way of frowning on new 

 undertakings, of which the dismal series of mild winters 

 since the opening of 1895 i s a case i n point. In that year 

 the severity of the frost closed the shooting early in 

 February, the amount of ice in the tideways rendering it 

 impossible to get a punt afloat. Thus, with one winter 

 much too severe, and six equally unfavourable from an 

 opposite cause, a just estimate of the results of protection 

 can hardly be formed. 



As it was, the bag of fowl for the period mentioned 



