122 lifngs of tbe 1Rot>, Iftifle, anfc Gun 



or three times ; but if a bird ran off she would get up 

 and go to the place, and draw slowly after it, and when 

 the bird stopped she would stand it as before." 



The most interesting and valuable portion of Daniel's 

 observations on shooting is undoubtedly that which 

 treats of wild-fowling a branch of the sport to which 

 no writer before his time had devoted anything like 

 the attention it deserves. It will interest even modern 

 wild -fowlers to read the following sketch of a famous 

 master of the art to whom Daniel was indebted for 

 much of his knowledge of the subject : 



" Should any Cambridge man who was a fen-shooter) 

 thirty years ago, honour this book with his perusal, he 

 will not wonder at seeing the name of Old Merry, of 

 Stretham Ferry, mentioned as a truly scientific conductor 

 of this kind of sporting. 



In his knowledge of the haunts of the different 

 species of birds which visited the fens, he was most 

 precise ; and in the navigation of his punt (a small 

 boat) along the ditches, which are in fact the only 

 roads through the fens, his judgment and assiduity were 

 alike conspicuous : he knew if a drought had lowered 

 the water where he could make good his point ; and 

 frequently, whilst shooting parties with other guides 

 were wearying themselves with towing, or from the 

 noise occasioned by being towed all the birds in 

 the vicinity were disturbed, Old Merry was steering 

 his punt silently to the scene of action ; and in the 

 fogs, which are so thick as to exclude objects at the 

 smallest distance, or in the dark, he was equally 

 collected, and knew how to proceed in the morning* 



