230 WILD -FOWL SHOOTING 



at the wild-swan is the great object of the sportsman's 

 desire : he is not naturally so shy a bird as the wild-duck, 

 but still his long neck, and acute sense of hearing, render 

 great caution necessary. If, as often happens, he is feed- 

 ing along the shore, you have only to plant yourself in an 

 advantageous situation a good way ahead, and it will not 

 be long before he makes his appearance ; but if he is 

 feeding at the mouth of some brook or stream, you must 

 crawl in the same way as when after wild-ducks. Should 

 you get within a distant shot of a hooper, and are not 

 close to the water-side, instead of firing from where you 

 are, rush down to the edge of the loch, and before the 

 swan can take wing, you will have gained ten yards upon 

 him. When the thaw begins after very hard weather, 

 they are almost sure to be feeding at the mouths of any 

 mountain-burns that run into the loch. Should you see 

 hoopers feeding greedily, nearly out of range of your gun, 

 in place of taking the random shot, try to prevent their 

 being disturbed, and return at dusk of evening or grey of 

 morning, when they will most likely have come pretty 

 close to the shore, especially if any little rivulets run into 

 the loch near : this rule applies to most water-fowl. If a 

 swan be alarmed by an enemy on shore, his wont is not to 

 fly, but to swim majestically away. 



Widgeon and teal are approached in the same way as 

 wild-ducks, only the widgeon are less shy than the ducks, 

 and the teal than the widgeon. You may sometimes, in calm 

 weather, see widgeon in a large flock purring and whistling 

 a couple of hundred yards from the shore ; you need give 



