SEAFOWL SHOOTING SKETCHES. 23 



leading- away from the bird, I cautiously peeped through a tuft 

 of coarse grass and saw the curlew's head appearing over an- 

 other tuft. It was rather a long shot, and, by the way, its head 

 turned, was quite on the " qui vive " ; so I gently thrust the 

 gun over the bank, aimed rather low, and fired. I jumped up, 

 and at the same moment another curlew rose, but quite out of 

 range. Gathering the dead bird, I was soon in the canoe, and 

 my companion, making his appearance, I took him aboard. He 

 had never fired. 



As we were now on our way a solitary purre came skimming 

 up the river, first on one side and then on the other. It finally, in 

 passing, gave me a chance. I dropped it, and with the other 

 barrel secured another passing bird. We had a few more shots, 

 all misses, with the exception of a lapwing, which I got, when we 

 decided to land, and thereupon did so on the north side. 



We saw an immense congregation of lapwings, and separated, 

 endeavouring to get them between us, but they were too wary 

 for us. As my companion was now some distance off, and feeling 

 rather tired, I sat down in the dry bed of a creek to wait while he 

 came up. A few birds were flying in the distance, when suddenly 

 one came right over me, and I shot it. It fell a few yards in 

 front, and I was pleased to find it was another curlew, and cer- 

 tainly I was rather astonished at its tameness. My comrade 

 came soon after, and, having wounded a large gull, we crossed 

 the river in chase of it, as it had disappeared on that side, so he 

 said. Going up the creek, I saw a large bird standing in some 

 shallow water, so I crawled as near as I could, and then stood 

 up to fire. It never stirred, so I went up to it, and found it was 

 a wounded bird, probably my friend's. 



The tide now making, we embarked. Our return journey was 

 a blank as regards sport, and we arrived at the quay before nine 

 a.m., having had very good sport for the short time out. 



During the Guild Week Renshaw and I were on the river almost 

 every day. On the Monday, while in the canoe for a few hours, 

 I got a few purres and a lapwing ; but on the following day we 

 set out for a longer excursion. Launching the canoe at six a.m., 

 we proceeded leisurely to pull down the river. We had not got 

 very far before a drizzling rain set in, and lasted all the forenoon. 

 As we got lower down the stream, we saw plenty of birds, but 

 all very wild. My friend, however, succeeded in bagging one or 

 two with the 8-bore. Near the bank we saw a lot of gulls, with a 

 single curlew in their midst. Perceiving they were about to 

 rise, I took aim at the curlew and fired. It rolled over, as also 

 did one of the gulls. As I ran up, the curlew rose, and I fired 

 at it, but it got away, evidently very hard struck. All I got, 

 therefore, much to my disappointment, was the gull. 



