Wild-Geese on the Sand-hills 127 
(dug in naked sand) must obviously be visible enough to the 
keen sight of incoming greylags. One such hole (when backed 
up by well-placed decoys) the geese may almost ignore; two they 
distrust; while three inspire something approaching panic. 
Consequently a single craftsman who knows his business and 
bides his time will shoot, under the most favourable cireum- 
stances, at almost every successive band of geese that means 
alighting. Two guns, in full sympathy with each other, may 
effectually combine by occupying holes dug at some fifty yards 
apart and with a single set of decoys set midway between for 
mutual use. Thus there can be secured fair, frequent, and almost 
simultaneous shots. 
It is essential to bear in mind the fact that the geese have 
come with the intention (unless prematurely alarmed) of alight- 
ing. Hence, as they often circle two or three times around 
before finally deciding, a judicious refusal of all uncertain chances 
has a concrete reward when, a few seconds later, the pack sweep 
overhead at half gunshot. The first element of success lies in 
concealment; the second in ever allowing the geese to come 
in to such close quarters as renders the shot a certainty. 
Greylag geese are, of course, huge birds, very strong, 
and impenetrable as ironclads. But to tyros (and many others) 
in the early light they are apt to appear much larger, and 
consequently much nearer, than is actually the case. All this 
has, the night before, been impressed upon our friend, the tyro, in 
solemn, even tragic tones. The urgency of the thing seems to 
have been graven deep on the very tissues of his brain, and he 
promises with earnest humility to bear the lesson in mind when 
the vital moment shall arrive; to deny himself all but point- 
blank shots well within thirty yards, whereby he will not only 
himself assist to swell the score, but enable his companion to do 
likewise. 
Words fail to describe that companion’s frame of mind at the 
dawn, when, despite over-night exhortations and assurances, he 
sees to his horror pack after pack of incoming geese (some of 
which he has himself let pass within forty yards) ‘“‘ blazed at” at 
mad and reckless ranges by that wretched scarecrow who never 
ruffles a feather and afterwards tries to excuse his failure by 
enlarging on “the extreme height the geese came in at!” . 
These goose-hills, it may here appropriately be stated, lie 
