426 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
date Sind has been opened out, and the Manchar Lake being 
easily accessible, the number of wildfowl has decreased. On three 
occasions I have spent about ten days on the Lake. Living in a 
boat is much preferable to camping on the banks for anyone to 
whom a bird is something more than a Hawk, Duck, or Snippet. 
As an example of what sights gratify one’s eyes in the early 
morning, it was no uncommon thing to see within a stone’s-throw 
of my boat both large and little Cormorants keenly engaged in 
catching their morning meal, at least two species of Tern every 
now and then descending with a loud splash into the water, the 
common Pied Kingfisher hovering over the surface, Stilts, one or 
two of the numerous graceful White Herons or Egrets, several 
Black-tailed Godwits; of course one or two of the numerous 
Harriers which are perpetually sailing over the rushes, and two 
or three species of the smaller waders; other birds there were, 
but I think I have quoted enough; within a stone’s-throw is no 
exaggeration; no crouching behind a bush or concealment was 
necessary on my part; they hardly paid any heed to my presence ; 
on more than one occasion I have seen as many as three White- 
tailed Eagles together almost within gunshot. 
One of the methods of shooting wildfowl when required for 
the pot, and I am afraid often when not, is to be poled towards 
the flocks of Duck, and shoot at them sitting on the surface of 
the water at long ranges; it is remarkable how they seem to 
know the exact range of an ordinary gun, though a choke-bore at 
present they do not understand; their almost invariable practice 
is to let you approach within seventy and eighty yards before they 
take flight. 
On the banks are some fishing villages; great numbers of fish 
are caught by driving them into a net; this operation is accom- 
panied by the most deafening and prolonged noise ; if fish can 
hear, they would hear this: on the front of each boat is a rocking 
wooden tray, in which is a copper dekshi; this tray is perpetually 
worked, varied with beating the deck with a short stick, the boat 
itself being rocked; a band-conductor, as I may call him, for he 
seems to regulate the noise and movements, stations himself in a 
boat at the mouth of the net. It is no uncommon thing for these 
fishing-boats to have a long perch, on which are seated various — 
species of Herons and Egrets, and Cormorants, or else, perhaps, 
a Pelican. Mr. Murray says that they use these birds as decoys, 
