28 WILD-FOWL SHOOTING 



But to return to our wild-fowl shooter, whom we left 

 glass in hand looking out for divers. He sees a couple 

 plying their vocation fifteen or twenty yards from the 

 shore, about half a quarter of a mile from where he 

 stands. He selects his vantage ground as near as pos- 

 sible for a last look before commencing his attack. 

 Having gained this, he makes his dog lie down, and 

 peeps cautiously until he sees the birds waits till they 

 both dive together, then rushing forward whilst they are 

 under water, again conceals himself, expecting their 

 reappearance. The great difficulty is always to keep 

 in view the exact spot where the birds come up : once 

 lose sight of it, your progress is stopped, and, in recover- 

 ing your advantage, the birds are almost certain to see 

 you and fly. When within one race of the divers, cock 

 both barrels, and as soon as they together disappear, 

 rush to the nearest point on the shore for a shot. If the 

 day be calm, the rising bubbles will show where they 

 are ; you can then clap your gun to your shoulder, ready 

 to fire. Always, in such cases, shoot on wing, and 

 be sure to fire well forward : should a diver only be 

 winged, it is useless to tire your retriever in pursuit; 

 but if he is at all struck about the legs also, a good dog 

 should be able to secure him. 



So much for the small morillon. The golden-eye is a 

 still more artful bird, and requires more caution. If, 

 without seeing an enemy, he is at all alarmed while 

 diving near the shore, he will probably swim out to a 



