180 THE W1LD-FOWLKR. 



The best means of pursuing- wild-geese, and that which affords the 

 finest sport, is by the shooting-yacht or sailing-boat, with stanchion-gun. 

 But as that sport will be fully treated of in subsequent pages under 

 those heads, it is unnecessary to enter upon them here. 



Black geese are well worthy of pursuit, and, in the opinion of most 

 epicures, are the finest-flavoured wild-fowl that is brought to table. 

 They have a thick coating of feathers, and require hard-hitting to 

 bring them down. The winged and wounded offer excellent chances 

 to young sportsmen with shoulder-guns ; but a more amusing chase 

 can be had by pursuing them in a small boat : this is called the 

 " cripple chase ;" of which we shall speak presently more at large. 



During a strong wind and spring tide they are seldom to be ap- 

 proached ; at such times they sit more dispersed about the water, and 

 in a more sunken form of attitude : they are then more vigilant 

 than at other times. When the weather is very rough they seek a 

 refuge within harbour, though always reluctant to do so; taking 

 care to quit it before nightfall, and to betake themselves to the stormy 

 sea rather than abide in inland waters at night. 



The punter's best chances at Brent-geese are just before sunset ; 

 then, if they are feeding on the ooze, and it so happens that there is 

 sufficient water for the punter to get at them, he may, with skill, be 

 almost sure of a shot : they feed very greedily about that time, 

 apparently anxious to fill their crops before taking their flig'ht out to 

 sea. An opportunity of the kind is termed by the local puntmen 

 taking a shot when the geese are all " a-guzzle." 



Another very favourable opportunity for obtaining* a shot with the 

 punt-gun at Brent geese is, just at the ground-ebb, when they are 

 eagerly seeking their food on the first portion of ooze that may be un- 

 covered by the receding tide. The punter should make up to them 

 briskly, but with extreme caution in all his movements, as they are 

 always watchful, and their suspicions soon aroused. 



Wounded black-geese are sometimes difficult to capture, and lead 

 their pursuers a spirited chase. When wounded they make for the 

 tideway, or the heaviest sea that is near by j they dive boldly at 

 first, but eventually become exhausted, and resign themselves to fate 

 after being closely pursued.* 



Pennant says Brent geese " cannot dive " (vide " Arctic Zoology," vol. ii. 

 p. 552), an error which I am very much surprised to find made by that author ; but 

 probably he was more of a naturalist than a sportsman. I would fain say I wish they 

 could noi dive ; if it were so I should have been spared many a half- hour's trying 

 cripple chase. 



