498 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



and gunners must pull together, for by night the 

 gunners have their chance, by day the decoymen, at 

 the same birds. The interests of both are identical, 

 and were it not for the decoys which act as shelters 

 (I am now alluding to England), far less Wigeon 

 would remain about the coast than is now the case. 



Coast and inland shooting of wildfowl is totally 

 different, and the difficulty lies in that very few 

 people know anything about the habits of wild birds, 

 however many there be who shoot them. The vast 

 majority of fowlers are coast-shooters ; and though 

 these men have a practical acquaintance with all 

 wildfowl, they are seldom in a position to make 

 themselves heard ; on the other hand, the inland 

 flapper-shooters, who judge of all fowl by a few 

 half-tame birds on their ponds and marshes, and so 

 fancy they know all about the subject, are chiefly 

 landowners, and therefore men of position and 

 influence. These latter are also backed up by 

 ornithologists, who know little of the ins and outs 

 of real fowling, i.e., coast-shooting. 



There are a few perhaps a score decoys in the 

 British Islands, their owners rich men ; but there are 

 some thousands of poor fowlers, who, because an 

 Act is in force that pleases the former, are out of 

 the hunt, and a means of living is often denied them 

 in consequence. It is their turn now to be con- 

 sidered, and if they can be benefited without the 

 least injury to others, or to the birds, why not ? 



