THE WIGEON. 109 



the air. From the sound of the wings alone the mallard, wigeon, 

 teal, pochard, &c., could be distinguished, and, though invisible 

 from the darkness at the time of flight, or the height at which 

 the birds passed overhead, the sportsmen, returning homeward, 

 could each recount what species had passed his way. Just before 

 the wild-fowl appeared, and when the flood was not too high for the 

 snipes' feeding, these birds came, as if from the clouds, falling, 

 almost shower-like around, and in the momentary glance we had 

 of them between us and the light sky of the dying day, they, with 

 their long bills directed downwards, had quite a spectral aspect, 

 as with ear-piercing "screagh'^ they sought the earth. But 

 once on the ground and in great profusion, " a solemn stillness " 

 reigned until the wild-fowl came, when oui* shots ronsed the 

 " lang-nebbed things," screeching into the air again. As in the 

 bay, the flying time continued for about twenty minutes/ after 

 wdiich the fowlers took their departure homewards, unless the 

 moon were soon to rise, when they would remain for a second 

 flight of the birds already there, from one part of the meadoAvs to 

 another, as well as of new comers ; but this was less certain than 

 the flight at twilight. At the lattey, particular places were 

 selected for the birds flying from special localities, as Bally- 

 drain lake, the bay, &c. ; but for the flight at the rising of the 

 moon it was mere chance what course would be taken. The 

 appearance of the birds viewed between us and the moon, sur- 

 rounded by beauteous groupings of clouds, may readily be ima- 

 gined. There was much wildness too — an aspect of original 

 nature — in the scene around : an expanse of water in which the 

 moon and clouds were mirrored, with the surface most pic- 

 turesquely broken by little patches of ground uncovered by the 

 water, and single tufts or variously-sized masses of rushes, rising 

 here and there throughout the whole extent.^ 



* A mode of obtaining wigeon not noticed in the preceding pages may here be 

 mentioned, though it is a very old one. — 



In 1837, I was informed that it had long been and was then a common practice 

 to place nets on the salt marshes at BallykcUy, near Newtownlimavady, for the cap- 

 ture of wigeon, and tliat many were thus procured. 



