5 



WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



the roots to get at them. He had shot plenty of " pokers " 

 in his time. Only four years ago, the largest flock of 

 pochards he had ever seen dropped into Breydon some 



hundreds of them. He was in B 's gun-punt, and pulled 



at them with the great breech-loading punt-gun, the cap was 

 bad and misfired; he rowed up after them again, they merely 

 paddled away, and three cartridges did he try, each with 

 a like result ; they had bad caps. He had killed forty-eight 

 wigeon (in the early spring) at one big-gun shot, and lost 

 several cripples ; this was his biggest shot. He had killed 

 five swans one day at one shot, and secured four swans next 



WHITE-FRONTED GEESE 



morning. Nine bean geese he obtained on one excursion, 

 and sixteen brents on another ; also four white-fronts. Once 

 when laying at thirty swans his gun misfired ; and five spoon- 

 bills, very immature ones, he slew at one discharge of his 

 gun. They were so very immature he could scarcely dispose 

 of them. The last couple he sold for a shilling ! 



Old " Poker " Lamb's wife was a veritable Breydoner. She 

 used to dress in an oily jumper, clap on her head a sou'-wester, 

 and go smelting with her husband. She would take one oar, 

 he the other, and between them they managed to get the net 

 round and ashore. He would get out on to the mud and 

 hold the line, while she rowed out and semicircled the net ; 

 then she would throw him her end-rope, and alternately the 



