138 BROADLAND SPORT 



plentiful supplies of food all through the winter months 

 hardly a duck put in an appearance, whilst all idea of sport 

 for that season was rendered a dead letter. 



If the instructions laid down are conscientiously followed, 

 and the decoy pool is located in a neighbourhood where 

 there are fowl, a strong lead in will become a certainty, 

 although it must not be taken as an accepted fact before the 

 first week of November arrives, however forcibly a keeper 

 may argue to the contrary. 



The screens which are used to hide the shooter are 

 generally erected during the close time, and consist (as 

 before mentioned) of reed hurdles or rush litter interwoven 

 between growing twigs ; anything will do so long as it acts 

 as a successful hide and partakes of the nature of the sur- 

 rounding foliage. 



Now, as the time for using them draws near, each screen 

 should be supplied with a seat, having a rough lid attached 

 in order that it may always be found dry. 



Having decided upon the date for commencing to shoot, 

 the keeper should be instructed to visit the pool during the 

 afternoons three or four days beforehand, and to show him- 

 self upon the bank. This frightens the fowl, which rise and 

 soon make themselves scarce, but they will return at flight 

 time, which is what is required. Furthermore, when 

 frightened in this manner they rise in a large bunch and 

 fly away ; but again, they return in twos and threes, and it 

 is seldom that more than seven come together. 



A little after sunset the flight shooters put in an appear- 

 ance and take up their respective stands in the screens before 

 mentioned, which are comfortable quarters indeed after a 

 damp, cold walk over the bleak marshland, whilst the ever- 

 green shrubs growing around should be a complete shelter 

 from the marrow-reaching North-easter (the most favourable 

 wind for this class of sport). 



By imperceptible degrees the light gradually fades away 

 and the watchers are awakened from their reveries by the 

 weird cry of a lapwing or the scaping of a snipe warning 



