SEAFOWL SHOOTING SKETCHES. 11 



SEAFOWL SHOOTING AT CONWAY (1880). 



On the 2nd of August, 1880, I met my friends, Renshaw and 

 Heywood, at the station, en route for Conway. We had long- 

 waited for the day, and had made every preparation for having 

 a good time of it. Our weapons were a i2-bore central, a i2-bore 

 pin, and a i6-bore muzzle-loader double guns, of course, so as 

 there was no borrowing of ammunition from each other ; we all 

 carried a good supply. H. dispensed with a shot-pouch, and used 

 tallow-shot cartridges. The five or six hours' railway journey 

 passed over very pleasantly, though two of us had been there 

 several times before. The very enticing look of the shore, with 

 numerous large birds gravely walking about, always raises one's 

 anticipations to the highest pitch. 



Arrived at Llandudno Junction, we left the train and boarded 

 a ramshackle kind of conveyance, which, however, soon trans- 

 ferred us to our lodgings, the Castle View Inn, Deganwy. We 

 got our weapons together, and were soon outside something to 

 eat and the inn as well. On the shore were a lot of ring dotterels 

 feeding in fancied security. Their enjoyment was, however, 

 of short duration, as R. and self bagged a couple each. The 

 birds were duly baptised, they being the first blood of the season. 



After this, we took a boat, and went under the railway bridge, 

 a short distance up the river, when we landed and dismissed the 

 boatmen. We had a long and arduous stalk after a heron (of 

 which species we saw plenty), but it was no use. In fact, all the 

 birds, and there were large numbers, were very wild. R. only 

 got a bird a lapwing. 



Feeling warm and tired, we were glad to rest in the shade of 

 a smack lying high and dry, when we indulged in a smoke and 

 drink. Having recovered from our exertions, we got up to re- 

 turn, when we saw a large bird flying towards us. All crouched 

 till it was nicely in range, when we simultaneously saluted it with 

 a barrel each, and it dropped like a stone. It was a very fine 

 cormorant, and we each and all regretted that the other two 

 fellows had fired. However, we picked it up, and duly admired 

 its size. We noticed that its throat felt very hard, and I began 

 to air my knowledge of natural history by assuring my com- 

 panions that the inside of the cormorant's throat was of the 

 toughness of leather as a protection from the spines of fish 

 swallowed for food. Having succeeded in convincing my friends 

 of the truth of my theory, I slung the bird over my shoulder. 



