WILD-FOWL SHOOTING UNDER SAIL. 217 



inferior to that of other sportsmen who expended their ammunition 

 with more discretion and less recklessness. 



The sailing- sportsman must not be disappointed at " blank days/' 

 which he will encounter quite as often in this as in land-sports. Every 

 wild-fowl shooter is exposed to similar disappointments, whether he 

 pursues his diversion by land or water. But whenever the sea-game 

 are found tame and accessible, it is strictly sportsmanlike to follow 

 them up throughout the day, and scatter the mould-shot among them 

 as freely as possible ; and this, though abundant success may have 

 been the result of the first few shots ; and more than sufficient 

 numbers have been bagged to supply the wants of the fowler and his 

 friends. Experience teaches, that the fewer and more select we 

 make our shots, the more effective they are, and the more satisfactory 

 the results ; it should, nevertheless, be borne in mind that wild-fowl, 

 contrary to game, are mere birds of passage, and though here to-day 

 they may be gone to-morrow ; therefore the old proverb may be well 

 applied " Delay not 'till to-morrow what may be done to-day." 



A wild-goose chase is seldom effective, but when so, the sportsman 

 should make the most of it; and such considerations should influence 

 fvery one who pursues the sport of wild-goose shooting- with 

 gtanchion-gun at sea. 



F F 



