344 



WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



Anas tribe, they are so much easier of access, and require 

 such a slight blow that no matter whether you are 

 prepared for wildfowl, partridges, or snipes, you may, 

 at most times, with very little trouble, contrive to get 

 near them ; and this being once done, you have only 

 to shoot straight to be pretty sure of killing. 



I have seen teal " duck the flash," though never but 

 once, and then I had rather a slow-shooting gun. 



The last and greatest of the wild visitors, are the 

 swan tribe. Their being scarce or plentiful depends 

 much upon the season — and in winters of extreme 

 severity thousands of these birds will be found upon the 

 estuaries and inland lakes. The noise they make is 

 wild and musical, and with a little jancy^ my kinsman 

 says, the ear will trace modulations almost extending to 

 infinity. These birds, during severe frosts and snow- 

 storms, are easily surprised and shot ; and the skins, 

 when carefully stripped off^, will well repay the shooter 

 for his trouble. 



To enumerate the varieties of the duck tribe that an 

 inclement winter brings to these shores, would be 

 difficult. I have already noticed the Pintail^ and the 

 Golden-eye upon the estuary. Widgeons come here in 

 immense flocks ; and that beautiful bird, the teal, the 

 smallest and most delicate of the whole species, is 

 found for the remainder of the season on loughs and 

 rivers in abundance. The Grebe and Tringa tribes 

 furnish numerous and interesting varieties ; and an 

 ornithologist, as well as a sportsman, would have here 

 an ample field, could he but set the season at defiance, 

 and pass his winter on this exposed and stormy coast. 



But the note of dissolution of our happy party has 

 sounded. The Colonel, having divers premonitory 



