244 SHOOTING THE DUCK AND THE GOOSE 



previous days. The exact number we picked up was 

 seventy-seven ; but it is always hard to account for 

 every one of these tough birds which may have been 

 ' pricked,' but not placed absolutely hors de combat. 



On the main coast outside the Gulf of Morbihan 

 there are several places where brent geese and many 

 of the game ducks afforded sport, and where the 

 diving and sea ducks are very abundant. The mud- 

 flats, however, lie rather low, and consequently the 

 best time to shoot them is on the spring tides. In 

 the Bay of Penaerf the natives use flight-nets, which 

 are erected on the ooze banks to entrap the fowl at 

 night ; but they always seemed to be so unskilfully 

 set that two widgeon were all I actually saw caught in 

 them. Shore shooters abound on every rock and bit 

 of available shelter, and at night punting is attended 

 with considerable risks in the midst of a careless and 

 excitable community. 



The most southern fowling-grounds which I have 

 visited on the French coast are at the mouth of the 

 river Loire. The enormous bogs and marshes which 

 lie on both banks of this low-lying coast, and the 

 huge lakes which abound in this district, offer irre- 

 sistible attractions to wild-fowl of the duck species. 

 At night large numbers of wild duck, teal, and pintail 

 usually flew inland to feed, and in the daytime they 



