TWENTY YEARS ON THE NORFOLK FENS. 357 



good sport with Snipe during moonlight weather by sitting near 

 a swamp of shallow water facing the moon, and I have knocked 

 over several in an evening. They come screaming through the 

 air like bullets, and dropping into the shallow water can be 

 easily discerned in the moonlight, and, with care, shot sitting. 

 You do not see them when once on the wing. Lapwings and 

 Plovers are similar in habit, and these come before the Ducks' 

 flight. After having done with the Snipe, &c, you can often add 

 a Duck or two to your bag. 



In some winters we have a number of Geese on the fens, 

 but, owing to absence of cover, not many are shot. In 1890 

 we had some large strings of Geese feeding quite close to the 

 village, and these remained several weeks. I managed to shoot 

 one Bean Goose out of seven ; a friend shot three Grey Lags 

 out of twenty-one, besides a fine specimen of the Canada 

 Goose ; and my father shot a Bernacle Goose. Specimens of the 

 Brent and Egyptian Geese have also been shot here. I counted 

 eighty-four Grey Lags in one company. Some winters produce 

 Swans. In the year 1894 we had several in the district, and 

 I shot one Whooper; while a specimen of Bewick's Swan was 

 also shot. A friend of mine killed three Whoopers with one shot. 



During the severe weather of 1894 we had some fine omew 

 and Goosanders up the river, besides Sheldrakes, Scaup, Tufted 

 Ducks, Golden-eyes, Crested Grebes, and Coots in numbers, 

 driven from the broads. 



There still remain a few Hares on the fens, and some Otters. 

 Several of the ditches teem with fish of late years. Pike 

 have been taken, from nineteen pounds downwards; I captured a 

 Bream in 1896 weighing six pounds and a half, besides four 

 excellent Tench. We had a few years back abundance of Eels, 

 but, owing to steam drainage and constant persecution by Eel- 

 i pickers and Herons, they are becoming scarce in the ditches. 



Zool. 4th ser. vol. I., August, 1897. 2 c 



