164 SHOOTING, ETC. 



looking anxiously for the animal, which had dived long 

 before the dog reached him. Presently there was a 

 tremendous commotion, the dog growling and snapping 

 at the water, and at the same time crying out with 

 pain, making all the time as hard as he could for the 

 bank. The otter had attacked him under water, and 

 had it all his own way. I never saw " Pat " so glad 

 to reach terra firnia before ; and I have no doubt if he 

 could have had five minutes with his enemy on his own 

 element, the result would have been very different. 



The duck had now begun to come in, and for 

 half-an-hour I shot almost as fast as I could load. 

 Twilight in this, the south, part of Nipon is of short 

 duration, but as you go further north and reach higher 

 latitudes it lengthens out, and instead of only having 

 half-an-hour or so of sufficient light to see, you have 

 double that time. 



In waiting for ducks I never took up my final 

 position untU I heard the first snipe utter his well- 

 known note as he rose from the ground.^ Teal generally 

 are the first to come, then a few mallard in pairs, or 

 small flocks of five or six; widgeon come later, almost 

 always in flocks. It has over and over again struck 

 me, that at a certain time of twilight, just as things 



^ Snipe always rise during twilight, and take an evening flight 

 before feeding. 



