WINTER WILDFOWL SHOOTING. 91 



require a hard-hitting gun. On the lochs of Scotland, how- 

 ever, and the large inland waters of England, by careful 

 stalking a flock may be approached, and the greater part of 

 the two ounces of shot in each barrel may be brought into 

 use. The art of stalking, however, is only to be learnt by 

 practice, and no written description will be of much avail. 

 The shooter may nevertheless, be cautioned to get to leeward 

 of the fowl ; for, though it is doubtful whether their sense 

 of smell is very acute, there can be no question that the 

 slightest noise puts them on their guard. As soon as the 

 approach can no longer be concealed, let the shooter sud- 

 denly rise, when in all probability the ducks will dive instead 

 of taking wing, and while they are under the water a run 

 may be made towards them, which will probably bring them 

 within shot when they come to the surface again. At this 

 moment a snap shot will often succeed in killing one or two, 

 but the gun must be ready and almost at the shoulder, or 

 they will be down again before the trigger is pulled. If a 

 sailing boat can be launched on the water it is by far the 

 best means of approaching wildfowl, as they will lie to it 

 when a punt would immediately disturb them. For this 

 kind of sport the shot must be large, and No. 4 will probably 

 suit the best on the average. As all wildfowl fly fast, the 

 aim must be from a foot to two feet in front of them, or they 

 will inevitably be missed. Ducks rise almost perpendicu- 

 larly, and therefore the aim must also be raised as well as 

 directed forwards. In shooting teal on rivers, good sport 

 may often be obtained ; as they do not take long nights like 

 the ducks, but soon alight again on the same river or brook. 

 They fly very fast, and take a good deal of shooting; but to 

 a practised hand and eye they afford extremely good sport 

 when they happen to frequent any river of which he has the 

 control. In marking them down the eye should be kept 

 well forward after the teal appears to drop, as this bird is 

 very apt to skim along the surface of the water for a long 

 distance before he really settles. It is necessary, therefore, 

 to send a man below, keeping him at some little distance from 

 the bank till the teal fly, when he should at once show him- 

 self and so stop them. Coots and water-hens are most diffi- 

 cult birds to catch on the wing, while they dive so quickly 



