298 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



two hours or so. The guns should stand in good high 

 butts, circular in shape, made up from fir branches, or 

 some such other natural cover, lined alongside a wood 

 for preference, so that the birds may be shot as they 

 top the trees. Of course, a great quantity of duck are 

 required for this form of shooting, and there are few 

 places in England at present where it is possible to 

 enjoy the luxury of a duck drive ; though, probably, 

 in a few years it will become a much more common 

 pastime. As was mentioned above, a horn is a very 

 useful implement for calling wild duck in, and it is 

 astonishing with what readiness they answer the call 

 when they become accustomed to it. 



Another method of killing wild fowl is to stalk them 

 over a river bank and shoot them as they rise. They 

 afford easy shots if successfully stalked, but half the 

 pleasure lies in approaching them without giving the 

 alarm, as they are very wary birds, and their sense of 

 hearing on a still day is little short of marvellous. A 

 useful thing to remember is to approach them, if possible, 

 from the side from which the wind blows, as they rise 

 against the wind and their breasts afford a good and 

 vital mark. A young wild duck, bred in the river, has 

 a great enemy in the pike. It is extraordinary how 

 many birds this voracious fish can account for, and 

 keepers can very well spend any spare time they may 

 have in the summer in catching them. Even in in- 

 nocent-looking ponds these fish may be found, and I 

 have known the young duck disappear from a pond in 



