152 INDIAN DICKS. 



Daybreak would see us niakino- our way from one of tlie main riv(M-s up 

 such a water-way, which we might have to traA(M-se for some two or three 

 miles before reaching the piece of water which formed our destination. 

 Our boats were the light flat-bottomed kundas, or canoes, used so 

 universally all over North-eastern India : and our seats were low moralis, 

 or cane seats, which enabled us to swing round and get shots to our rear as 

 well as in front and both sides, which a seat right across the boats would 

 have prevented. We had not, however, to wait until we got to the jh(>el 

 for our shooting, for Snipe constantly got up to our i-ight and left and Teal 

 rose within shot in a manner far beyond what we hoj)ed for later on ; 

 moreover, the feeding flocks were scattered, and one l)ird down another 

 shot might well be hoped for. Here and there, too, a Gadwali would And 

 its way within range, these only getting up from patches of rice more than 

 usually dense and thick. Less often a few Pintail would flash across us, 

 but rarely within shot : also Pochards, White-eyes, and Shovellers were all 

 to be seen at intervals. AVhilst it was still cool and a f^'w wisps of gently 

 quivering mist were still lingering on the top of the water, loath yet to 

 •dissolve their ghostly lives into nothingness, we were generally well into 

 the jheel and had scattered out into a long line. Snipe we now allowed to 

 get lip unheeded, though as yet they were l)ut few, for not until the sun 

 rose high and hot did they forsake the rice-fields and take to the deej) water 

 and the cool shade of lily-leaves. Whistling-Teal swainied in all directions 

 and kept circling round everywhere in countless myi'iads ; Pur[)le (Joots 

 flustered and fluttered across the tops of the reeds and through the rushes ; 

 the little Water-liail scurried across the surface of the water-])lants ; and 

 other undesirable birds, such as Water-Hens, Jacanas, &c., were in evidence 

 in every quarter. Still the continuous po|)])ing of the guns all down the line 

 showed that all the birds were not nndesiral)le ones. < 'onstantly amongst 

 the Whistlers overhead there would a])pear a flock of swifter, more quickly 

 wheeling birds, as the Blue-wing Teal came through them, roused by one 

 of the other boats ; or a flock of Common Teal, flying in much the same 

 manner, would rush down nearly the whole line, a splash or two in the 

 water markino- the memlxn's of their mess whom thev had left behind. 

 The duck, however, got up in front and went straight away, seldom 

 wheeling within reach of even the outermost boats, though now and then a 

 flock sweeping past high overhead would offer a difficult and often useless 

 shot. 



The Gradwall, which were generally only in small flocks, were usually 

 found where there was a certain amount of cover, which, assimilating with 



