WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 217 



ducks, one ounce and a quarter of No. 4 or 5, and 

 perhaps No. 3 late in the season, and of No. 1 or 2 

 for geese, driven out of the ordinary field-gun by 

 three and a half drachms of powder, will be found 

 preferable. I say a field-gun, because, although the 

 heavy duck-gun, with its enormous charge of six 

 drachms of powder and three ounces of shot, is 

 undoubtedly more killing when discharged into 

 large flocks, the waste of ammunition would be 

 immense were it used at the scattering flight of 

 the western country. 



Many kinds of wild-fowl will, like bay-snipe, be 

 attracted by an imitation of their cry ; and, when 

 decoys are used, the mastery of these calls is neces- 

 sary to the proficiency of the bayman. But at the 

 West, where the use of decoys is not customary, 

 and where the nature of the ground prevents full 

 advantage being obtained from these devices, a 

 knowledge of the art is not so necessary. Never- 

 theless, there is something thrilling in the " honk " 

 of the wild goose ; when it is heard, the sportsman 

 is earnest in his efforts to imitate it, and if suc- 

 cessful which he often is, for the bird responds 

 readily is not only proud of the result, but amply 

 rewarded for his skill. 



In shooting from any species of cover, when ducks 

 are approaching, it is more important not to move 

 than to be well hid; the slightest motion startles 

 and alarms the birds, that would possibly have ap- 

 proached the sportsman in full view if he had re- 

 mained motionless. If they are suddenly perceived 

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