THE BRENT GOOSE. 
57 
the season and during the day, has likewise been discontinued. 
I allude to fast-sailing “cots”* and yawls — the latter being 
preferred, — which, with a brisk wind, would sometimes bear down 
upon large flocks before they were aware of their danger; and 
in such case, the brent geese, by rising against the wind as they 
always do, and the boat still bearing on them, would be half a shot 
nearer to the fowlers than they were when swimming. As they 
fly at a later hour in the morning than the wigeon, so in the 
evening they retire earlier than that species. They were some- 
times sought for when on their seaward flights, by fowlers await- 
ing them in their boats in the creeks ; but as they were then 
in large bodies, fewer chances were afforded of getting shots. 
They very rarely appear “ up the bay” in moonlight nights. 
When seen there, some of the shooters imagine that when the 
moon rises it is mistaken by them for the morning dawn. In 
stormy nights they will occasionally “ come up” for shelter, 
and I have known them, at least once, to be killed, but they are 
never sought after at night like other wild-fowl.t It should 
be stated, that when flying up in the morning, they generally 
proceed in small flocks, and alight altogether about the same 
place, thus, after the flight has continued for a long time, forming 
a great multitude ; but in the afternoon, this whole body will rise 
en masse to retire to deep w r ater for the night. If high water, 
early in the morning, at their usual hour of flight, they await the 
ebb before leaving their night quarters. They are very wary, and 
avoid in their flights approaching objects with which they are 
unfamiliar, as new beacons, &c., erected in the harbour. A 
branch of a tree brought dow r n the Lagan by a flood, and covered 
with sea-weeds so as to give it a dark appearance, will alarm 
them, as will the smoke of the steam-vessels even from a distance. 
Any thick smoke seen overhead by the Anatidce generally, when 
on the water, excites their fear, and prompts them to take wing. 
* Small flat-bottomed boats. 
f Sir Wm. Jardine observes that : — “ In Ireland this goose is also abundant, and 
furnishes most of the night-shooting which is much followed on various parts of the 
coast.” — ‘ Brit. Birds,’ vol. iv. p. 81. 
