204 THE WILD FOWL KU. 



relative position of the gun, the punter must be careful to regulate 

 the range accordingly, or put corresponding weight in the stern of 

 the punt. 



After considerable experience in the art of punting, I have found that 

 the best and most successful means of shooting swans, by daylight, 

 is by aid of the sailing-punt 5 so as to approach them under sail, on a 

 slanting wind, taking care to luff up quickly into the eye of the 

 wind the moment they attempt to rise, and reserving fire until the 

 instant of their crossing the bows. 



The novice would be surprised, as well as amused, at the cracking 

 and snapping noise made by a herd of swans, on rising from the 

 water, on a calm day. It sounds precisely as if every bone in the 

 wings of the whole herd were being snapped asunder, and quite as 

 loud. The noise is produced by the huge wings striking the water, 

 as they flap along, in their efforts to rise in the air. It is not to 

 be heard when the swans are suspended in the air, but only at the 

 time of taking wing : therefore, there is no doubt but that it proceeds 

 from the cause asserted. The snappings and crackings are heard 

 much more distinctly on a calm day than during windy weather. 



The velocity with which swans fly down-wind is very great ; but 

 their progress to windward is slow. In calm weather, they pursue a 

 steady course of flight, sometimes ranging in the angular form de- 

 scribed as that pursued by wild-geese ; but swans always fly very 

 close together, and never in a scattered line. 



It very often happens, during severe frosts, that swans, in flying 

 over-land, present remarkably fair shots, and may often be killed 

 with small shoulder-guns. I have seen many a swan brought down 

 with a charge of one ounce and a half of No. 4 shot. 



Whenever an opportunity of the kind offers, and a swan, or herd 

 of swans, is seen to be approaching, in line with the sportsman, who 

 has but a small gun, he should remain squat as a mouse until the 

 birds are fairly over his head j he should then suddenly rise up, and, 

 just as they are flying from him, send the charge after them ; his 

 mark should be either the head of one of the birds, or the wing. 

 A sportsman never shoots at swans nor, indeed, at any other wild- 

 fowl when flying towards him, but always reserves his fire until 

 they have passed j because the shot will find its way to the flesh of 

 the bird, when fired behind it ; but it will seldom do so when fired at 

 a bird with its breast facing the sportsman. 



When swans are driven to our shores by the severity of wintei-j 



