SHORE-SHOOTING 95 
perfection is claimed. The modulation of notes, their lengths, 
and reed-tones are easily mastered by the apt learner, but the 
ventriloquial effects are not. 
The most effective manner of producing this special calling 
is to whistle softly, and lower the head to mimic distance for 
the ‘‘all in order—approach ” calls, and to raise the head and 
pipe clearly for what sound as the close-at-hand signal pipes. 
My notes here chiefly refer to curlew calling. It must be noted 
that, although I have chosen the corncrake to instance my 
meaning, its use of ventriloquism is to deceive the intruder 
without alarm to its kind, whereas in the case of shore-birds it 
is adopted to impress or convey something they are unable to 
say Otherwise. I cannot go further, but I do know that in 
using similar methods of calling, lies one of the main secrets in 
shore-bird and wildfowl calling. A proof that the finer arts of 
calling birds in our isles have not been much studied, or at all 
events much perfected, may be fairly instanced by the fact that 
out of the very small proportion of shore-gunners who do call, 
not 10 per cent., in the ears of an expert, can be deemed 
perfect. Whether the expert can judge as well as the birds 
themselves, may be considered a mystery never to be solved, but 
it is enough to say that if the practised ear cannot detect a flaw 
or difference the artist may be termed as at least near the mark. 
Just one suggestion before concluding my remarks on 
calling. Always strive to keep your calling fingers clean and 
dry. Not only is it nasty and unwholesome to dab in your 
mouth fingers wet and muddy, but remember that salt water 
will soon cause blisters, resulting in scabs. These readily heal, 
but they prevent further calling. A soft handkerchief to wipe 
the fingers must not be forgotten. Of course, it is impossible 
to avoid wetting the fingers when taking a bird retrieved from 
the water from a dog’s mouth, but drying them is quite possible. 
I emphasise this point because some of my readers will wish 
to learn calling. 
