250 SHOOTING THE DUCK AND THE GOOSE 



At my fowling quarters in the Morbihan I have 

 on several occasions witnessed the departure of 

 widgeon and geese in March. Premonitory indica- 

 tions of an impending movement were generally 

 afforded by the restless and uneasy demeanour of 

 the fowl during the day. About twilight, one calm, 

 moonlight evening, I saw large numbers of widgeon 

 spring suddenly up from the sea and disappear in the 

 dusk. In a few minutes they returned with an angry 

 rush of wings, rather higher up in the air. A second 

 circle was then made, and so on, until they were 

 high up overhead and quite out of sight. Finally 

 they headed north-east towards the mainland, and 

 their passage could only be traced by their faint 

 whistling, which was audible for some minutes until 

 they flew out of hearing. The migratory movement 

 in spring usually took place in fine, settled weather, 

 and one of the most likely moments to see fowl 

 depart would be at high water, just before dusk, 

 when their feeding-grounds would not be exposed 

 for several hours. 



The British islands, no doubt, are well situated 

 for observing the movements of migratory fowl which 

 pass down our coasts, but there can be no question 

 that, so far as the anatidce are concerned, the neigh- 

 bouring continental shores of Denmark, Holland, 



