AT THE ESTUARY 131 



gunner. In broad day the ducks at the edge of 

 the sea, or afloat on the estuary, are safe as 

 need be. Practically, they cannot be stalked. After 

 dark they are safe on the tide and mudflats inland. 

 But for an hour each morning and evening they 

 are in peril. The twilight is deadly danger. The 

 gunner lies in wait for them at certain spots between 

 their day and night haunts. True, he often returns 

 without a bird. The ducks, coming out to sea or 

 going inland, passed out of range, to his right or to 

 his left ; or, tide and weather unkind to him, the 

 ducks did not leave the sea till dark; or, in the 

 morning, a minute after the disappointed flighter 

 turned home, believing that it was now too light 

 for sport, the flock passed over the very spot where 

 he had crouched before dawn. This has happened 

 to me. But the gunner only needs time and patience 

 to succeed, if he has a good fowling-piece and the 

 skill to shoot. One morning or evening the ducks 

 will fly over him within range. 



Again and again the flocks and parties, pairs and 

 single birds, are shot at as they pass at dusk over 

 the mile or so of shore and low-lying land between 

 their day and night haunts. Every day somebody 

 shoots, and often several guns are turned against 

 them. There are ways by which the watchful flocks 

 could easily elude the flighter. Instead of flying 

 straight backwards and forwards between their day 

 and night haunts they could make a wide, circling 



