THE JERSEY COAST. 229 



six birds to tliose already upon tlie sand. Eighteen 

 willet from the first flock, and ere the sun was fairly 

 np, gave us a good start ; and after the birds were 

 gathered, the favorable send-ofl'was duly celebrated 

 in a few drops of water with enough spirit to take 

 the danger out. 



And now myriads of swallows made their appear- 

 ance, skimming close along the water, but in one 

 steady course, as though they were going out for 

 the day, and would not be back till night-fall. They 

 were followed by scattering snipe that furnished neat 

 but easy shooting till six o'clock, when the regulai- 

 flight began with a splendid flock of marlin that 

 came rapidly from the south'ard, and after hovering 

 over the stools and giving us one chance, returned 

 for two more favors from the breech-loader, and left 

 sixteen of their number. 



Sportsmen of any experience know that nothing 

 is easier than to select from a flock a single bird 

 with each barrel; but in bay-shooting, a man who 

 claims to excel, must kill several with the first bar- 

 rel, and one, at least, with the second. If, howevei-, 

 to the ordinary excitement be added the natural 

 emulation arising from the presence of several sports- 

 men in the same stand, the foregoing desirable 

 result is not always attained. If, therefore, the 

 reader shrewdly suspects we should have killed 

 more birds than we did, let him place himself in a 

 similar position, and record his success. 



Shore birds of the various species, beginning with 

 the magnificent sickle-bill, and including the wary 



