HABITS OF WIGEON IN THE NIGHT. 3137 



after about ten days' easterly wind, there suddenly appeared at least 

 three thousand wigeon and geese, though we had not seen a single 

 wildfowl the day before ! I had first to weather sixteen blank days ; 

 and then killed one hundred and twelve fowl in eighteen hours ! 

 They talk of the " glorious uncertainty of the law," and I am sure we 

 may " sing out/' by way of parody, on the diabolical uncertainty of 

 the fowl. 



TIME. Was it possible to preserve a public harbour, 

 wigeon should never be fired at till they had fed for 

 some hours, and got well together ; because a shot fired 

 in the evening, when birds are scattered, seldom pro- 

 duces much, and is apt to make them forsake the place 

 altogether. If, indeed, they were left till just before 

 day-break, so much the better. A man who gets upon 

 the mud, or in the creeks, and amuses himself by popping 

 away at evening flight, has, of course, the curse of every 

 regular gunner ; as, by such a practice, he ruins a small 

 harbour in a few nights. Though the best of all shots 

 is when the birds are " on their last legs" before the 

 tide flows high, yet shooting at them when actually 

 afloat is not near so well. They are then more scattered : 

 their feathers are not so open : and shooting them at 

 this time is apt to make them forsake their " feeding 

 ground." 



SOUND. The thicker the weather, the more silent 

 the wigeon, when pitched. A shrill clear pipe denotes 

 a single cock wigeon, as does a long loud " purre" a 

 hen : but when the call of the cock is one short, soft 

 note, and not so often repeated, you may expect to find 

 a company. If so, you will probably soon hear the 

 birds " all in a charm" (that is, in full concert), if you 

 have patience to wait and listen, which a good gunner 



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