210 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



unconscious of the speed of a sailing-vessel, and are completely 

 deceived by the rapidity with which it gains upon them after they 

 have taken alarm and are preparing to fly away. 



Immediately after discharging the stanchion-gun at wild-geese or 

 other fowl, their line of flight should be long and carefully watched; 

 many birds which are mortally wounded, sometimes fly a long 

 distance, as a mile and upwards, before dropping dead :* these are 

 called " droppers." It is, therefore, usual for one at least of the crew 

 to watch the skein as long as it can be seen, observe the direction of 

 their flight ; and, on alighting, mark, by aid of the compass, a buoy, 

 or some land-mark, the spot where they go down ; so as to be enabled 

 to follow in their track, pick up the droppers, and endeavour to obtain 

 another shot. 



It is an excellent plan, in moderate weather, to work both punt 

 and yacht at the same birds ; or rather, to send a man round with 

 punt and gun to make the best shot he can, the yachtsman mean- 

 while watching from a further distance the punter's movements and 

 those of the fowl ; having judiciously placed the yacht on the 

 track which the wild-fowl would naturally take on rising, the sailing- 

 sportsman may generally obtain a shot directly after the punter has 

 fired. A person accustomed to note the route generally taken by 

 wild-geese, and the manner in which they rise, will find no great 

 difficulty in thus intercepting their flight, and adding considerably to 

 the numbers killed by the punter. 



There are some days when the fowler may be sailing about from 

 morning till night amongst plenty of wild-fowl, and not meet with a 

 single shot : every sailing' sportsman can vouch for this, though but 

 few can account for it. The day may appear most favourable; indeed, 

 the identical occasion when one might hope and expect to bag a good 

 number ; and the sportsman often finds, to his disappointment, quite 

 the contrary ; the birds being thoroughly fidgetty and unapproach- 

 able. Another time he may put to sea under less favourable auspices, 

 and make from six to twelve excellent shots : but twelve shots, it 

 should be observed, is an unusual number for one day's sport with 

 the stanchion-gun : six may be fairly reckoned as a good day's sport. 

 I have heard of sixteen being made, but probably more than half 

 were random shots, and the result of such sport has generally been 



* Captain T. Williamson says, " If one be wounded, it always separates from the 

 flock, and generally changes its course. I have known a goose to fly nearly four 

 miles before it has dropped." Oriental Field Sports, A.D. 1807. 



