138 SPORTS AND ANECDOTES. 



saw them, from say half a mile off, on a calm day, 

 they looked positively like a great black wall ; in 

 fact, no one, unless he knew what they were, could 

 have imagined that they could be birds of any kind. 

 Upon nearing them, and getting ready, and going 

 down in the punt to what is termed " go into them," 

 difficulties increased at every yard you neared them. 

 There were thousands of ducks, but double the number 

 of eyes, and nothing seemed so easy as to get up 

 to them, and have a shot into the brown, for they 

 seemed to be sitting together as thick as hops, and 

 to be all asleep, which was actually the case, with 

 the lake as smooth as if it was made of glass, and 

 a hot sun shining upon them. Indeed, at such a time 

 they looked like a lot of pumpkins on the water, for 

 as a rule they floated about with their heads under 

 their wings, unconscious of any danger being at hand. 

 On getting pretty close to them, you found that instead 

 of being in a thick mass they were dotted all over 

 the place, like sparrows round a cab-stand, and that 

 you would have to pass endless sentries, if I may so 

 call them, before you could get anywhere near the 

 flock, or even where you could get a fair line of birds 

 to shoot at. Many is the time that I have passed 

 dozens of great fat ducks and mallards sitting singly, 



