440 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



small oars (not too heavy, or they cannot be used 

 as sculls) ; two paddles, one light, for working to 

 fowl, the other heavy, to assist in propelling to 

 cripples or for cruising ; glasses or telescope. 

 If looking for rare specimens, the former will 

 not tell them at a distance, but for night- 

 work are invaluable. Rudder, if you use one ; 

 mast, boom, sail and sheet in one ; breeching 

 ropes ; ammunition - box ; cork - stuffed life - buoy 

 seat ; setting-pole, eight and a half feet long ; 

 small setting-pole, for shooter to give a helping 

 shove when badly stuck, four feet long ; folding 

 anchor or grapnel, with thirty feet of half-inch line ; 

 four spurs, one a spare one ; two foot-stretchers, 

 used when pulling, or to secure flooring-boards ; 

 cover for gunstock, to reach well beyond ignition ; 

 cartridge-case for small guns, with extractor fastened 

 to it ; sandwich, tobacco, lights, compass, and flask 

 in case to fit ; loading-rod and powder-spoon ; worm- 

 screw for cleaning the barrel or drawing charge ; 

 powder, shot, wads, oakum, and ignition ; canvas 

 and wood covers for big gun ; cover for punt ; gun- 

 muzzle plug ; punt waggon ; and last, not least, 

 a good sculler. If a breech-loading gun is used, 

 cartridges, extractor for same, and its other belong- 

 ings, instead of some of the items above given. 



In a single punt the extra setting-pole can be dis- 

 pensed with, as well as one shoulder-gun and the 

 rudder ; that is to say, for a punt that is propelled up 

 to fowl by side-paddling. When a single punt is 

 sculled with an oar to birds, the two small hand- 

 paddles are not required, but one large one for 

 moving leisurely about in search of fowl is most 



