348 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



and the northern marine loughs and bays, fowlers 

 abound, to their own disadvantage. In out-of-the- 

 way spots, such as the bays of Kerry, Clare, 

 Galway, Mayo, Sligo, and Donegal, swivel-guns 

 are less numerous ; but professional shore-shooters 

 by the dozen. To keep these men in pleasant 

 temper, and prevent their spoiling sport by firing 

 up the fowl, they must be liberally dealt with in the 

 way of a good share from the bag. Once offend the 

 shoremen, demand but one wounded Wigeon that 

 may flutter into their dog's mouth, or come to their 

 hands, and your sport is spoilt in that locality for 

 years to come. 



These poor shooters trudge to the nearest town 

 of a Saturday to sell what birds they may happen 

 to have killed during the week. A stranger visit- 

 ing their estuary with his fowling-punt is looked 

 upon, more or less, as a thief come to rob them 

 of their living ; especially when they see him with 

 great, and to them unappreciated skill, go forth 

 and obtain in a few hours more than they can kill 

 in a week, with weary watching and waiting, by 

 night and day, in wet and frost. Let the hint be 

 taken. Jealousy on the part of these shore-fowlers 

 is more excusable than is generally allowed, when 

 their position is fairly criticized. But be reasonably 

 generous with the spoil, landing and chatting now 

 and then with a poor fowler on the beach, giving 

 him a couple or so of birds according to his bag, 

 whether empty or full, and you will act wisely. 

 Fowl are money, actual food and drink to him, and 

 a few now and then will be no great loss to you. 

 Your generosity will lose nothing in the telling, 



