WILD-FOWL SHOOTING ASHORE BY NIGHT. 281 



The sportsman should be ever watchful and ready for a chance- 

 shot, when ranging- the coast of a tidal bay or river at night, though 

 it may be many hours after high-water, because if any wild-ducks 

 have approached the shore with the flood-tide, and have come 

 upon good feeding among the grasses at the brink of the coast, or 

 what is still more enticing to them a fresh-water tributary, they 

 will not recede with the ebb-tide : but on the contrary, will most 

 assuredly remain there until daylight next morning, if undisturbed. 

 But, in the absence of white water to assist the fowler in making a 

 good shot, he will find a difficulty in discovering the precise position 

 of the birds ; and, in all probability, will have to shoot entirely by 

 guess, with nothing to direct him but their noises : 



" All's hush'd, except the sea-fowl's notes, 



Hoarse-murm'ring from yon craggy brow." 



It is advisable that the sportsman be very warmly clad for this 

 pursuit, as he will often find it necessary to lie in ambush an hour or 

 more at a time ; and to retrieve his birds he will require the ser- 

 vices of a well-trained dog one that is obedient to the most silent 

 commands, obeys its master's signs and signals, and mute in all its 

 actions. A perfectly-trained wild-fowl shooter's dog' is seldom to be 

 met with at the present day, but is a most valuable animal to the 

 shore-gunner. 



The fowler who would be successful in this pursuit, must be very 

 watchful as he walks by the margin of lakes and rivers, on his mid- 

 night excursions. It is in such localities that he may expect most 

 sport ; and to those, therefore, his attention should be chiefly 

 directed. He will only be able to see birds when on the water, at 

 night, their figures then showing as dark objects upon a white and 

 glittering surface. When the birds are feeding on grass-lands or 

 elsewhere, ashore, they cannot be discerned with sufficiently dis- 

 tinctive accuracy to enable the sportsman to shoot with certainty of 

 success, unless there be bright moonlight. 



In this diversion the fowler may sometimes succeed in obtaining 

 shots, though the night is dark, being directed to the position of 

 the fowl by the clamour of their notes. Having crept closely to the 

 spot, by watching carefully a few minutes, the fowler will be enabled 

 to discern their movements. 



On moonlight nights he will have to observe the same rules, as to 

 placing himself in the loom, as have been previously prescribed with 



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