PUNTING BY DAYLIGHT. 149 



of the water-fowl the well-known "whe-oh" of the widgeon, the 

 " quack" of the mallard, or the clattering cackle of the geese ; and 

 when discovered, he will watch the sky for the first dawn of morning, 

 and as soon as signs of such are to he detected in the horizon, he will 

 place himself and punt in such a position that the birds may he 

 betwixt the dawn and the boat ; then, if there be high land in the 

 rear, and a bright dawn before him, the birds may be seen at a long- 

 distance on the glittering surface ; whilst the punt, from being in the 

 opposite shade, cannot be detected until close upon them. None but 

 those who have been on the water at such a time, and seen the effect, 

 can tell the advantages of such a position. When thoroughly under- 

 stood, this method of punting is wonderfully successful, except on 

 cloudy mornings, or when the water is too much ruffled by the wind. 

 The same observations apply to punting by evening twilight. In 

 frosty weather the western sky often exhibits a luminous appearance 

 for an hour and upwards after sunset ; and when so, and there are 

 wild-fowl on the waters, it aifords golden opportunities to punters. 



" For thy dark cloud, with umbered lower, 

 That hung o'er cliff, and lake, and tower, 

 Thou gleam' st against the western ray 

 Ten thousand lines of brighter ray." 



I have made as many as four excellent shots, with my punt-gun, 

 during the short space of one hour, whilst rowing homewards, with 

 a bright western sky "right a-head." 



On looking towards the light, objects may be detected at a long 

 distance ; but on looking back, all looks dark and dreary ; and it would 

 be difficult to discover in that direction a small object on the water, 

 unless very close. 



From the foregoing remarks, the tyro will see the necessity of 

 attending to the changes of wind, tide, and weather ; and also to the 

 hours of twilight ; the movements and demeanour of wild fowl depend 

 so much on these, that he is particularly recommended to observe them. 



The art of wild-fowl shooting and punting is but very imperfectly 

 understood in America, if we may judge from Wilson's description 

 of the artifices employed on the Delaware, and other rivers in that 

 country. He speaks of painted wooden ducks being- used as decoys ; 

 and, it appears, in a very extraordinary manner.* 



* " Sometimes eight or ten painted wooden ducks are fixed on a frame in various 

 swimming postures, and secured to the bow of the gunner's skiff, projecting before 

 it in such a manner that the weight of the frame sinks the figures to their proper 



