WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 189 



and divers. Over the grey leaden sea you will 

 occasionally notice a cloud of intense blackness, 

 and against it the wings of the gulls flashing 

 like light, while in the sough of the wind you 

 catch a thousand plaintive whines and shrilly 

 signals, and the stertorous grunting of the 

 herons who have been disturbed from their 

 fishing quarters. The fowler will find it hard 

 to see the only birds good for his bag, unless 

 he watches the level immediately over the 

 ever-coming waves. He must select an hour 

 when the most distant rocks are being gradually 

 covered, and then the widgeon and, it may be, 

 the wild geese keep retreating before the tide 

 in extended straggling order, flying so low that 

 they almost flap the water. In a stiff breeze 

 a storm is still preferable there is a fair 

 chance of having a shot even without 

 shelter. Eley's wire cartridges, though now 

 perhaps a little out of date, will be found 

 useful ammunition on such a service as we 

 are endeavouring to describe. The present 

 writer has brought down a wild swan at 

 thirty yards, in a strong cross wind, with a 

 wire cartridge fired from an ordinary muzzle- 



