SWANS 261 



striking a swan full and fair at 100 yards or more will 

 suffice to bring it down. It is well to remember, how- 

 ever, that as there are but 240 pellets in i Ib. of this large 

 size of shot considerably fewer pellets in fact than are 

 contained in the ordinary load of the partridge- or the 

 grouse-shooter it will fly thinly at ranges much exceed- 

 ing 100 yards, thus minimizing the gunner's chances of 

 hitting even so large an object as a swan. 



Swans may be met with under circumstances other 

 than the foregoing, as, for instance, whilst the wild-fowler 

 is cruising about in small sailing craft ; or upon some 

 loch or other water where a shot may be obtained by 

 stalking. In either case powerful 4-bore or 8-bore 

 shoulder-guns will prove most useful adjuncts ; either of 

 these bores loaded with suitable charges of AA. of 40 or 

 AAA. of 32 pellets per oz. should insure the downfall of 

 a swan at 50 or 60 yards. 



In shooting wild swans from a punt the fowler should 

 bear in mind that these heavy birds cannot spring from 

 the water like mallard or wigeon. As they have to beat 

 along the surface for some distance before getting fairly 

 on the wing, he may take full measure of their disposition 

 in order to seize upon the most effective moment for 

 firing the shot. Once fairly under way swans move at 

 good speed, and the shooter must be careful not to 

 under-estimate either their rate of progression or the 

 range, as from the measured wing-beats and large size of 

 the bird he may easily fall into error on either point. 



The coast-gunner of to-day may, in very mild winters, 

 go through a whole season without once seeing a gaggle 

 of grey geese. In many parts of our islands the inland 

 wild-fowler, too, can walk scores of miles night and 

 morning, on his pilgrimage to and from the ducking- 



