6o RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



and Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, and 

 Goldeneye, there came to this favoured spot in 

 winter Pintail, Scaup Duck, Smew, Merganser, and 

 Goosander, regularly, immature Long-tailed Duck 

 very rarely, and now and then a common Scoter 

 strayed in from the sea. All the Grebes were 

 represented at different times, though nearly always 

 in winter plumage. Grey Geese were never at any 

 time common in Pagham Harbour, even in very 

 severe winters, the commonest Wild Goose there 

 being undoubtedly the Brent. Mr Knox, however, 

 once shot a couple of Grey-lag Geese in the 

 harbour, and both the Bean Goose and the 

 Bernicle have also been occasionally killed there. 

 Brent Geese, on the other hand, were sometimes 

 so numerous in the harbour at night, that fourteen 

 were once killed at a double shot with a shoulder 

 gun, by wading down a channel at low water 

 and shooting into their dark, almost indistinguish- 

 able ranks as they paddled about in the dusk "in 

 close order." In January and February the writer 

 seldom had much difficulty in bagging a few of 

 these birds, either by working a punt up to them, 

 or, if they were wild, by lying concealed behind 

 the sea-wall, and getting a fisherman to go round 

 them in a punt and move them slowly towards the 

 ambush. They never would come very near the 

 shore, although by a little generalship they could 

 sometimes be made to fly across a corner of the 

 harbour within gun shot of the bank in their 

 attempt to wheel before retreating to a safe 

 distance in the middle of the harbour, on which 



