THE BRENT GOOSE. 57 



the season and during the day, has likewise been discontinued. 

 I allude to fast-sailing "cots"'^ and yawls — the latter being 

 preferred, — wliich, with a brisk wdnd, would sometimes bear dowai 

 upon large flocks before they were aware of their danger; and 

 in such case, the brent geese, by rising against the wind as they 

 always do, and the boat still bearing on them, would be half a shot 

 nearer to the fowlers than they were when swimming. As they 

 fly at a later hour in the morning than the wigeon, so in the 

 evening they retire earlier than that species. They were some- 

 times sought for when on then' seaward flights, by fowlers await- 

 ing them in their boats in the creeks ; but as they were then 

 in large bodies, fewer chances were afforded of getting shots. 



They very rarely appear " up the bay" in moonlight nights. 

 When seen there, some of the shooters imagine that when the 

 moon rises it is mistaken by them for the morning dawn. In 

 stormy nights they will occasionally " come up" for shelter, 

 and I have known them, at least once, to be killed, but they are 

 never sought after at night like other wild-fowl.t It should 

 be stated, that when flying up in the morning, they generally 

 proceed in smaU flocks, and alight altogether about the same 

 place, thus, after the flight has continued for a long time, forming 

 a great multitude ; but in the afternoon, this whole body will rise 

 en masse to retire to deep water for the night. If high water, 

 early in the morning, at their usual hour of flight, they await the 

 ebb before leaving their night quarters. They are very wary, and 

 avoid in their flights approaching objects with which they are 

 unfamiliar, as new beacons, &c., erected in the harbour. A 

 branch of a tree brought down the Lagan by a flood, and covered 

 with sea-weeds so as to give it a dark appearance, will alarm 

 them, as will the smoke of the steam-vessels even from a distance. 

 Any thick smoke seen overhead by the Anatida, generally, wdien 

 on the water, excites their fear, and prompts them to take wing. 



* Small flat-l)ottomecl boats. 



t Sir Wui. Jardiuc observes that ; — " lu Ticland Uiis goose is also abimclaut, and 

 furnishes most of the night-shooting which is much followed on various parts of the 

 coast." — ' Brit. Birds,' vol. iv. p. 81. 



