OCCASIONAL NOTES. Pa 
for his Plovers in the fields; by approaching a flock in a circular manner, not 
going directly towards them, he may obtain a company-shot for both barrels. 
These two shots put up other flocks, which wheel about for a considerable 
time before alighting. If the wind is westerly they often go straight away 
inland, and do not give another chance; but if easterly they wheel and turn 
many times before alighting. If the shore-shooter can with any degree of 
correctness imitate the call of the Plover, while the birds are thus wheeling 
about, the flock will often fly directly over his head within range, when a 
beautiful double shot may be had, the first barrel at a single bird as they 
float piping overhead, the second, as—with the fall of the first bird—the 
remainder of the flock dash down with tremendous impetuosity. Here is 
perhaps one of the very neatest shots that can be made. I have often single- 
handed killed from five to eight couple of Golden Plover, perhaps half of 
which were shot in this way. But when going specially for Plover, two guns 
are always better than one; because Plover—if their haunts and flights 
under different conditions of weather and wind are understood by both 
gunners—can often be almost driven; and here numerous opportunities are 
afforded of single shots, as. the birds usually fly overhead in open rank. 
After an hour or two of this shooting, depending upon the time one arrives 
at the scene of operations, a return should be made to the sea-wall or to the 
sand-bank, or positions be taken up a little inland, opposite certain land- 
marks on the sea-wall, known to the local shore-shooters, and the shelter of 
a ‘‘stook” of wheat or beans sought for. Presently as the tide begins 
to leave about a hundred yards of mud-flat uncovered, a few Golden Plover— 
perhaps in twos and threes or small flocks—are seen skimming along close 
to the tide line, and all flying in the same direction; if the wind is northerly, 
flying north, towards the broad mud-flats which lie at the back of the long 
breakwater at Grangemouth; if southerly, flying south to the semicircular 
bay which lies between Avonmouth and Bo'ness. These small “trips” of 
Plover are the first to leave the fields, and have crossed the sea-wall at 
various points, some of which points must be known to the shore-shooter 
if he expects to have any shooting. If standing inland behind a wheat 
“stook” the shots one gets are somewhat similar to those obtained when 
the birds are frequenting the ploughed fields. They pass often just within 
long shot overhead, and a second barrel may sometimes be obtained as they 
dive downwards. If, however, the gun be stationed at the sea-wall the shots 
obtained are different, as ‘the Plover upon approaching the sea-wall dash 
down and skim low over, at certain points, especially when a strong breeze 
is blowing off the east. It requires a sharp shot to get more than one bird 
at this station, and often before your single bird drops, the rest of the flock 
are out of shot, skimming away over the mud-flats. If, again, a gun be 
stationed upon the shell-bank,—hid, we will suppose, by an old tree-root 
washed down the Avon or the Forth and stranded, or even simply seated on 
