CHAPTER L. 



SHOVELLER-SHOOTING. 



" The shouler, which so shakes the air with saily wings, 

 That ever as he flies you still would think he sings." 



SHOVELLERS (genus Spathulea) are sometimes very troublesome 

 birds to pursue with punt and gun ; they swim at an extraordinary 

 rate, and cause the punter's arms to ache ere they can be over- 

 taken. Directly they find the enemy pursuing them they make use 

 of the power with which nature has so liberally gifted them, and 

 shut the door upon their pursuer ; and probably, when next rising to 

 the surface, they are either very wide of him, or so far ahead as to 

 be out of his sight altogether. 



The punter who would be successful at this sport must carefully 

 observe the direction taken by these birds at the moment of diving, 

 and then keep his punt moving quickly ahead in the same track, or 

 as nearly as he can guess ; bearing in mind that the shoveller is a 

 bird which can swim nearly as fast under water as upon the surface. 



When these birds find they are thus closely pursued they generally 

 cease diving, and swim away on the surface as fast as their legs can 

 propel them ; they seldom take to their wings, except as a dernier 

 resort. 



If the punter is active and skilful in the management of his punt, 

 he may be pretty sure of a shot when he chances to meet with birds 

 of this species ; and whether by daylight or moonlight : but it must 

 be on a very bright night, or he will assuredly lose sight of his birds, 

 which keep constantly diving when first pursued, but cease after being 

 chased some little distance. 



Wounded shovellers are amongst the most difficult of water-fowl 

 to capture, and lead a long, determined, and cunning chase ere they 

 can be taken. Their powers of diving are so great, and their 



