io8 IN THE HAUNTS OF 



See ! At length the tide is well on the flood ; once more box 

 and decoys for long on the mud are floating. This afternoon 

 is to be dedicated to the destruction of geese. Look at the signs 

 on the sands, which give us the certainty of sport. There is seen 

 the impress of big webbed feet, and hundreds of holes scooped 

 out of the size of their bodies. The birds have been here last night. 

 They will revisit these sands this evening and get an unexpected 

 reception. Once more in position, with a loud whistling a flock 

 of widgeon bear down close overhead, but depart unaware of 

 their danger. The temptation to fire is resisted, and we have our 

 reward ; for ere long an interrogative ' honk ? ha-onk ? ha-a-onk ? ' 

 is trumpeted from five large birds coming on in a low plane of flight 

 a few feet above the water-line, with their black necks stretched 

 out stiff and stark and their bills open to speak every few moments. 

 Now is the time for skilful calling better omitted if not artistic. 

 Roofing the mouth with the open palm, once or twice a subdued 

 responsive ' ah-hunk,' ' ah-hunk ' inspires confidence. All distrust 

 is laid aside. There is slight suspense while they overshoot the 

 mark, but the flock rapidly wheel, and steer directly on the decoys. 

 Poising their wings and lowering their bodies they bend their heads 

 this way and that. One might as well think of missing a haystack. 

 The invariable spring in the air at the appearance of the gunner is 

 over. Two heads are well in line, and with a mighty splash down 

 come two ponderous bodies into the wave. The other barrel accounts 

 for a third as he attempts to move off, with his nervous system 

 apparently prostrated by fright. 



Several other flocks share a like fate, for never do geese decoy 

 better than when returning to the same point where they fed unmo- 

 lested on the previous evening. Later we move to a spot under 

 the ' fly line ', which seems to guide all the flocks coming in from 

 the sea over a certain point though the flights are too far apart 

 to see each other as if their exact course had been determined by 

 compass. 



Good results can rarely be obtained by sculling. Yet occasionally, 

 taking advantage of the fact that geese invariably rise against 

 the wind, by crouching in the canoe an insidious approach may be 

 made to a flock on a sand-bar. Some ancient sentinel will presently 

 sound the note of alarm, a rousing ' ah-hunk ! ' Then twenty 

 black necks will be outstretched, and twenty throats will vociferate 

 ' ah-hunk, ah-hunk ! ' Walking about uneasily, they will rise 

 en masse ; but, if luck favours, the gun may now be within sixty 

 or seventy yards, and as they rise one or two come down with a 

 loud swish. 



At last the setting sun is reddening the sky over the river, giving 



