22 INTRODUCTION. 



very amusing to see them feeding, fighting, and playing with 

 one another ; but somehow they were evidently suspicious 

 of the patch of spiky rushes in which I was lying flat in the 

 slight hole which had been made between two tufts of rushes 

 and covered over with others dug up by the roots, and arranged 

 so as to look as if growing. Unable to turn on my side or 

 move in the least, I was so cramped that it was all I could 

 do to remain there ; but after a time a large lot of geese began 

 to set in towards my position, and in a few minutes more I 

 should have had a good family shot. I had plenty of chances 

 of firing, but could not have got more than a couple ; besides 

 which I liked to watch them, so waited on in hopes of a 

 good lot coming close to me, when, alas ! cries of alarm were 

 heard from the birds furthest away on my right, and after a 

 minute or two they began to fly up, and I could see against 

 the sky a man riding towards them. The geese in front of 

 me all pricked up their heads and were getting ready to be 

 off; so I was obliged to jump and send both barrels at them 

 as my only chance ; and by good luck, or rather thanks to 

 the large shot, two were killed, but not enough to recompense 

 one for lying cramped up for so long ; nevertheless I was more 

 than repaid by the sight of so many wild geese and some other 

 fowl close to me, and being able to watch their movements. 

 Any one who would take the trouble to try punt-shooting with a 

 big gun below Seville on tidal waters might make some wonderful 

 bags, as the enormous quantities of Geese, Wigeon, and other 

 ducks can only be approached with the aid of a punt. When 

 near the edge of water you can always approach Ducks with a 

 stalking-horse ; and Geese will allow this on their first arrival, 

 but soon become too wary. 



Golden Plover are extremely abundant in vast flocks from 

 November to March. On their first arrival they are not so 

 wild as afterwards. They can always be " got at " with a 

 stalking-horse ; but as good a plan to shoot them as any is 



