106 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 
while the landlord is not in a position to know this. One 
means suggests itself—become a member of the Wildfowlers’ 
Association, and hold as such an unblemished character, 
which, of course, bears proof and, no doubt, a considerable 
amount of weight when explaining the fairness of proposed 
and intended movements. Besides, 1 know many landowners 
who never fail to grant permits of this kind to all genuine 
persons, but they will not entertain a poacher. Several of the 
proprietors I refer to are themselves members of the Associa- 
tion, and thus are anxious to instil a spirit of genuineness and 
purity into sport. There is room for all. The birds are there 
in undeniable numbers—more now than ever—and who would 
stand in the way of a keen sportsman legitimately exercising 
his energy on what is the common property of all men? 
The flight-lines of plover usually differ from those of duck 
by extending broadwise over at least a mile. The wind has 
much to do with concentrating the birds to a particular portion 
of the “‘belt”’ of flight, so to speak. Plover cover a given 
route, and generally pursue it, no matter how the wind blows. 
Coming with the wind, however, they invariably keep high, 
but when heading the wind, especially a strong one, they fly 
low. It pays to observe the directions the birds take and note 
at the same time the way the wind blows. So much depends 
on circumstances, according to locality, that beyond the 
general movements of the birds the gunner perforce must be 
left to his own resources, always bearing in mind that close 
observation is one of the great secrets in the art of wild- 
fowling. 
Adjacent to the sea and tidal rivers at various places 
around our coasts lie excellent marshy haunts of shore-birds 
and wildfowl. Many of these marshes are free to 
the public, but it must be noted that several (especi- 
ally those which extend some considerable distance 
inland) are private, and in certain instances are preserved. It 
WALKING 
MARSHES 
