PLOVERS AND SANDPIPERS. 93 



excellence for the table. The numbers of migrating waders 

 every year could surely be counted in thousands of millions. 

 They stretch in a dotted line right round the world so far as 

 its land portion is concerned, for they are found regularly 

 going southward at this time of the year, in America, Asia, 

 and Europe, their main breeding places being the vast 

 wastes in or near the Arctic circle. As to their eating, I have 

 already given my opinion, but as that is far less enthusiastic 

 than the verdict of some others, I may be permitted to 

 transcribe an old French dictum taken from the encyclopaedia 

 afore-named, "Oiti iia pas mange de vannean (lapwing, 

 especially), tie salt pas ce que-gibier vaut" 



Shore shooting anywhere near Shanghai is apt to 

 be disappointing. Cover is non-existent in most places, 

 and once birds are wild there is no chance of getting 

 within gunshot. It happens at times, however, that along 

 the sea-wall tempting bits of marshy ground are to be 

 found, and then there may be a chance under cover of the 

 " wall " to get on terms with some of the many waders. I have 

 got redshank and whimbrel by that means, and on one occa- 

 sion when the land round about was thirsty with drought, 

 whilst there still remained water along the inner side of the 

 wall, I had the best half mile's snipe shooting that ever fell to 

 my lot. In the creeks round about, also, there was a chance 

 at any time of finding teal or duck, whilst an occasional crane 

 might be seen. 



But for those who like mud-larking, marsh shooting beats 

 most shore work. In the first place you never know on a 

 Kiangsu marsh what is going to get up. It may be a pelican 

 or a peewit, a snipe or a snippet, a pheasant or a falcon. There 

 may be snipe bythedozen, there may be none. Plovers- of sorts 

 are certain to be seen, perhaps a rail or two or a moorhen. Hares 

 occasionally bolt from where you would least expect them, 

 and from bits of dry ground a quail will whirr off, or more 

 commonly a pair of them. A hen harrier or two are almost 

 certain accompaniment. So there is all the charm that 

 variety can give. But one must be in the mood for it or 

 there is little enjoyment. Perhaps the best preliminary to 

 success is to get into the nearest mud hole on landing and 

 flounder about for a minute or two until thoroughly saturated 

 at least up to the knees. There will be no lurking desire for 

 chat picking of the way which is certain to find you looking 

 for firm ground when you should be all eyes and ears for 

 whatever may be flushed. Many a chance has been missed 

 through this. If the sportsman is a bit of a botanist as w 1 ! 

 as a shot, he will, every now and then, come across marsh 

 plants which will appeal to him by their novelty as well as 

 their beauty, so that he will have more than one string to his 



