THE WIGEON. 
105 
gregated, stations himself according to the direction in which 
he imagines they will fly, and often succeeds in getting shots 
as they pass overhead. But there are occasionally attractions 
connected with this shooting, incomparably superior to the sport 
itself. In a fine winter night, we behold the moon riding in 
majesty, the stars softly twinkling, the position of some beauteous 
planet marking unerringly the onward march of time since the 
last month, when, under similar circumstances of moon and tide, 
we visited the place. Driven from their marine pasture by the 
advancing waves, little flock after flock of wigeon will then appear 
between us and the pale blue sky. Others, too, of the duck tribe 
may chance to pass, and we are sure to hear the enlivening and 
loud calls of the curlew, and various other Grallatores, as they are 
impelled by the encroaching waters to leave their feeding-banks. 
Wigeon-shooting, under these circumstances, is now almost 
wholly discontinued here. 
The wigeon is so much persecuted in Belfast Bay, that before 
the dawn of morning multitudinous numbers rise from the banks 
on which they have been feeding all night and betake themselves to 
Strangford Lough, as a place of comparative security, where they 
remain all day, but return at twilight to the former locality to 
spend the night. Some, however, constantly remain here through- 
out the day, the only exception to which (that I have heard of) 
was, that during a week's frost, commencing on the 24th of 
December, 1836, none were seen during the day by one of the 
professional shooters ; but they were in abundance by night, 
when, at a single shot, twenty-three fell by a discharge of his 
swivel-gun. The same number was subsequently (January 11, 
1850) procured by another person. The most of these birds killed 
by a third wild-fowl shooter here at any time, were eighteen by his 
shoulder-gun and twenty-seven by his swivel-gun. At a more 
fatal shot (January 20th, 1848), twenty-two wigeon, twelve wild 
ducks, and one teal were bagged : — a number of wounded birds 
escaped. In one instance, soon after the introduction of a swivel- 
gun to Larne Lough, sixty-six, and in another seventy-six, wigeon 
were picked up from one discharge ; — in addition to the lattre 
