124 BROADLAND SPORT 



the " lead in " becomes broken, sport for the remainder of the 

 season is 'over, the reason for which is not very difficult to 

 discover. 



Wild-ducks predominating in Broadland are mallard and 

 teal, which habitually retire into the sedges and thick aquatic 

 undergrowth during the daytime for rest and repose. 

 Towards evening they draw out, becoming loquacious and 

 uneasy previous to flighting for various marsh dykes, flight 

 ponds, or other feeding grounds, from which they do not 

 return until the first streak of dawn shows itself: arriving 

 at intervals, according to the distance they have to travel, 

 some of the wider rangers not turning up till long after 

 daylight. 



The screens, shelters or stands used in morning flighting 

 and other wildfowl shooting are made by river watchers 

 during summer, and consist of small platforms erected just 

 above the water, carefully walled in with reed hurdles, and 

 furnished with seats. 



They should be so placed in a small patch of reeds, rushes 

 and similar vegetation, that an experienced eye has difficulty 

 in detecting their whereabouts, even when the gun is 

 firing. 



Having cantered over these preliminary details, let us 

 take another imaginary trip. We arrive at the residence of 

 our host the day beforehand, or, perchance, are visitors staying 

 in the liouse. No billiards or whist after dinner, but a cigar 

 and a quiet chat, followed by ignominious expulsion to bed 

 like so many schoolboys home for their holidays, only, 

 however, to arise again, apparently before our eyes are 

 closed, at an abnormally early hour on a chill November 

 morning, meeting in the gun-room our last night's com- 

 panions, sipping steaming coffee and tugging away at 

 obstinate shooting-boots by the candle's sickly and flicker- 

 ing light. 



The keepers, who have already planted decoys, are in wait- 

 ing at the boat-house or other prearranged spot, and soon place 

 a gun in each of the shelters most favourable according to 



