212 WILD -FOWL SHOOTING 



gets to his game the better his chance, spares no trouble to 

 come to close quarters. He will crawl for a hundred yards 

 like a serpent, although he should be wet through, reckless 

 of his trouble and discomfort if he succeed in his shot. 



I will now suppose the squire by the loch-side on a fine 

 winter morning, dressed perhaps in a flaring green or black 

 velveteen, with a Newfoundland retriever of the same sable 

 hue. He sees a flock of fowl well pitched on the shore, 

 which most likely have seen both him and his dog, and are 

 quite upon their guard. He looks round for a few bushes 

 to screen him when near the birds ; and then, with a sort of 

 half-crouching attitude, admirably imitated by his canine 

 friend, advances upon his game. Unless the place is par- 

 ticularly adapted for a shot, the flock have probably seen 

 him appearing and reappearing several times, and when- 

 ever he is sufficiently near to alarm them, fly up together, 

 to his no small chagrin. But should he ly any chance get 

 near enough for a shot, his dog, not being thoroughly 

 trained, will most likely either show himself, or begin 

 whimpering when his master prepares to shoot, or, in 

 short, do something which may spoil the sport ; and 

 even supposing the better alternative, that he should 

 have no dog at all, and be within shot of his game, he 

 will, in all probability, either poke his head over a bush 

 when going to fire, or make a rustling when putting his 

 gun through it, and so lose the sitting shot. 



Now for the few hints I have to offer. It may be thought 

 that none were wanting, after the subject of wild-fowl 

 shooting has been so well and fully discussed by Colonel 



