HABITS OF WIGEON IN THE NIGHT. 335 



similar habits, that join them in hard weather), I can- 

 not, I trust, class the subject better than by concluding, 

 under this head, with what further remarks may be 

 useful as to wigeon, and reserve those for hoopers, geese, 

 and curres till after we have taken up our heavy artillery, 

 without which but little can be done with these, or any 

 other birds that are commonly killed by day. 



WEATHER. Fog, snow, or any other hazy weather, 

 is very bad, as it makes every thing on the water appear 

 large and black, and then it is that these birds (and in- 

 deed all others) soon take alarm. The novice fancies 

 just the reverse! Fog in the fens and marshes, how- 

 ever, is sometimes the best weather, although quite the 

 reverse on the sea. 



Bright starlight is the very lest of all tinfes for get- 

 ting at birds, as the tide flows over the mud; parti- 

 cularly if there is a little breeze, without wind enough 

 to blacken the shallow water. If a cold black frost, so 

 much the better. 



Even in moonlight, wigeon are easier approached 

 than in hazy weather. In white frosts wigeon are often 

 restless. In rain they are constantly flying and pitch- 

 ing. In very dark weather they are suspicious, and 

 more on the watch than in starlight ; but, if the wind 

 blows fresh enough to drown the noise of a launching- 

 punt, some " heavy shots" may now and then be made, 

 by sweeping the surface of the mud to the sound of 

 where the flock 1^ walking and feeding. But as in 

 dark THICK weather the chances are fifty to one against 

 doing much, I should recommend every gunner in the 

 kingdom to go to bed at such a time. Rest assured, 

 that if all the gunners would allow their birds to get a 

 " strong haunt" in dark nights, it would be pounds and 



