SHOOTING WILDFOWL ON A 11IVER, &C. 415 



It often happens, that wild-ducks, dunbirds, and other 

 fowl, come down at night to large rivers, ponds, or lakes, 

 which are so deeply surrounded by floating reeds, that 

 no one can approach the water ; and the birds, aware of 

 this, do not lower their flight till they come near them. 

 So far from this defying the shooter, it is one of the 

 finest opportunities that can be afforded for death and 

 destruction. Let him sit, in a small punt or canoe, 

 fore and aft, among the rushes, where, towards dusk, 

 he will be so completely hid, that he may either shoot 

 at birds flying within pistol shot, or wait for a good 

 chance on the water ; from whence (his boat being hid 

 on each side, and foreshortened to the only point of 

 view) he will be pretty sure to escape the observation 

 of the birds. This plan may be resorted to where there 

 are no rushes, such as under the bank of an island, or 

 in a small brook, near which there may be no hiding 

 place. Here, however, nothing would surpass the French 

 system, for those who had the means of adopting it. 



All these stratagems may become unnecessary, in 

 places which are strictly preserved, and where wildfowl 

 shooting is interspersed with that of snipes and other 

 birds ; but as these places are now but rarely to be met 

 with, I have thought it necessary to dilate at consider- 

 able length in the foregoing instructions relative to 

 shooting wildfowl, which are now but seldom to be 

 killed without care, patience, and good management. 



Having now, I trust, sufficiently explained the best 

 methods for killing all kinds of birds, on land; on 

 fresh waters ; by sea ; in harbour ; out of harbour ; 

 and in every situation, that I can think of; there 

 remains, I believe, no more that need be said under 



