FLIGHTING 131 



more genial atmosphere of the Gulf Stream, they being seen 

 no more until early spring. Inland the big lots of fowl 

 leave first, but a few homely ones invariably keep back, 

 frequenting springs, rivulets and open places, where they will 

 hang about, contentedly shifting from one to the other, ac- 

 companied by a few odd snipe, woodcock or other soft-billed 

 birds, until absolutely evicted. 



Regular haunts being deserted, the flighter pursues the 

 birds in such a manner as is most applicable to the locality in 

 which he finds himself. 



Flight shooting is never, or perhaps it would be wiser to 

 say hardly ever, practised during the day time, and the only 

 other instance within the author's knowledge, besides that 

 mentioned in the Moor and Marsh of the Badminton Library, 

 page 227 (which, by its description, sounds like West Norfolk), 

 is one mentioned by a friend, who in describing an estate where 

 there was a large lake near the house on which the fowl were 

 never shot, and at some distance away a chain of ponds more 

 or less frequented by the fowl, goes on to describe how they 

 drove the birds from one to the other, intercepting them on 

 the way. 



Flighting on Tidal or Salt Waters. 



This has already been partially referred to in the former 

 chapter on shore shooting, which it is impossible to avoid 

 mixing up to a certain extent with this system of flighting, 

 for, although the latter occurs solely between sunset and sun- 

 rise, flight shooting inland is strictly confined to the gloaming, 

 except on light and moonlight nights, when it extends some 

 hours later, and, under those circumstances, is usually not only 

 unsatisfactory, but also uncertain. 



In the neighbourhood of estuaries the state of the tide is 

 the greatest factor in the movements of the birds. For in- 

 stance, if it happens to be three-quarter flood near sunset, the 

 birds will seek favourite feeding grounds close by until the 

 tide has well ebbed, when, if they have not sufficiently fed, 



