92 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPOUTS. 



interruption. Self-confident that his fate was in my 

 hands, I complacently waited till he should raise his 

 caput, and I should have the satisfaction of enjoying 

 his surprise. My patience was not long taxed, and a 

 more ridiculous scene you could scarce imagine, for as 

 he raised his long neck, the first thing his eye rested 

 on was the figure of your humble servant ; a rush, 

 splutter and honk, and he was fairly on his way, still 

 evidently undecided which direction to choose, to avoid 

 danger. Little time, however, I left him for choice, and 

 thirty-five yards did not divide us ere my charge of 

 No. 5 brought him summarily back to the bosom of his 

 liquid home. The echoes had scarce answered my 

 report when dozens of duck were on the wing, and 

 some of them rose so close that it was truly extraordi- 

 nary that I had not previously seen them ; among their 

 number a splendid old green-headed mallard struck my 

 fancy, and my left barrel enabled me to cultivate a 

 closer acquaintance. Soon I had both retrieved, for I 

 had brought one of my setters with me, which was 

 equally good on land or water. On inspection, Mr. 

 Goosey proved remarkably fat, his corpulency possibly 

 being the reason that he had remained behind, and not 

 migrated with his comrades to their northern summer 

 haunts and breeding retreats. How my mouth watered 

 when I thought of the delicacy and flavour of a slice of 



