WILD FOWL SHOOTING. 383 



is often lean, and still oftener fishy, which flavour it has, proba- 

 bly, contracted in the journey, as their food in the lakes of Lap- 

 land, where they descend, is generally of the insect kind. As 

 they unite the power of flying with that of swimming, they have 

 an opportunity of resting and feeding in their long journies 

 across the ocean, and hence, perhaps, derive their fishy taste.- 

 They are generally observed to arrive in England in flocks, and, 

 as soon as they have chosen their situation, they retire to that 

 part of the lake where they are inaccessible to the sportsman ; 

 they may be frequently seen huddled together, and are, for the 

 most part, very noisy. They thus continue during the day ; 

 but, on the approach of evening, they separate into small par- 

 ties, and fly for the purpose of seeking food. This is, also, the 

 case at the dawn of day, as the gray of the morn no sooner 

 enables the ducks to distinguish objects, than they fly away to 

 feed. They then approach the margin of the lake, the marshy 

 ground, and particularly those stubbles which are situated near 

 the edge of the water. On these occasions, they afford much 

 diversion, or, at least, they are easily shot. Few sportsmen, 

 however, properly speaking, give themselves the trouble to attend 

 what is called the flight, that is, the flying of the ducks at 

 morning and evening, as this sport is very different from the pur- 

 suit of the partridge. In the latter case, all is motion and ac- 

 tivity ; in the former, the shooter must approach the edge of 

 the water, and, taking his station in a convenient place, as much 

 concealed as possible, either by sitting down, crouching, or other- 

 wise, and there patiently wait the approach, or passing, of the 

 game, sometimes, perhaps, for hours together, without having a 

 single shot. Duck- shooting, therefore, or what is catted flighting, 

 is chiefly followed by the peasantry who reside on the borders of 

 the marsh, many of whom earn a subsistence by it during the 

 winter: these persons also catch a large quantity of snipes, &c. 

 bv means of small snares. 



