THE WIGEON. 
109 
the air. Prom the sound of the wings alone the mallard, wigeon, 
teal, pochard, &c., could be distinguished, and, though invisible 
from the darkness at the time of flight, or the height at which 
the birds passed overhead, the sportsmen, returning homeward, 
could each recount what species had passed his way. Just before 
the wild-fowl appeared, and when the flood was not too high for the 
snipes' feeding, these birds came, as if from the clouds, falling, 
almost shower-like around, and in the momentary glance we had 
of them between us and the light sky of the dying day, they, with 
their long bills directed downwards, had quite a spectral aspect, 
as with ear-piercing “ screagh " they sought the earth. But 
once on the ground and in great profusion, “ a solemn stillness 33 
reigned until the wild-fowl came, when our shots roused the 
“ lang- nebbed things," screeching into the air again. As in the 
bay, the flying time continued for about twenty minutes, after 
which the fowlers took their departure homewards, unless the 
moon were soon to rise, when they would remain for a second 
flight of the birds already there, from one part of the meadows to 
another, as well as of new comers ; but this was less certain than 
the flight at twilight. At the latter, particular places were 
selected for the birds flying from special localities, as Bally- 
drain lake, the bay, &c. ; but for the flight at the rising of the 
moon it was mere chance what course would be taken. The 
appearance of the birds viewed between us and the moon, sur- 
rounded by beauteous groupings of clouds, may readily be ima- 
gined. There was much wildness too — an aspect of original 
nature — in the scene around : an expanse of water in which the 
moon and clouds were mirrored, with the surface most pic- 
turesquely broken by little patches of ground uncovered by the 
water, and single tufts or variously-sized masses of rushes, rising 
here and there throughout the whole extent.* 
* A mode of obtaining wigeon not noticed in the preceding pages may here be 
mentioned, though it is a very old one. — 
In 1837, I was informed that it had long been and was then a common practice 
to place nets on the salt marshes at Ballykelly, near Newtownlimavady, for the cap- 
ture of wigeon, and that many were thus procured. 
