FOWL SHOOTING. 
145 
small hatches cut in the gunwale. This method of shooting is, 
however, so little used in America, that this brief mention of it 
will probably be found sufficient. Those persons, moreover, 
who are desirous of gaining fuller information on the subject, 
will find everything that can be said concerning it, even to the 
minutest directions for the building of the boat, in Hawker’s 
work on shooting. 
In working to birds, it is always desirable to go to them up¬ 
wind, as the birds are very ready at taking the alarm, whether 
from their discovering the approach of danger, as some believe, 
by their sense of smelling, or, what I rather believe to be the 
case, by the wind carrying the sound to their ears, in case of 
your attempting to work to them from the windward. 
The best color both for the gunning boat, and for the gunner’s 
clothing, is white at all times, especially on starlight nights, or 
in snow, unless the sun or moon are shining very bright, when 
white will shine too much, and drab, both for the dress and boat, 
is preferable. A black hat must on no account be worn, but a 
cap of the same color with the dress. 
It is desirable to carry a common light gun in the boat, for 
shooting crippled and wing-broke fowl, which will save much 
time and trouble ; and a large-meshed light landing-net, will 
greatly facilitate the bagging the dead birds. 
Fog, snow, or hazy weather, is very bad for sea shooting, as 
it makes every object on the water loom large and black, and 
causes the birds rapidly to take alarm, except in the case of 
Geese, especially Brent, which apparently become confused, 
and will often lie quiet till the boat is paddled almost upon 
them. 
These directions will probably prove sufficient to enable any 
person, who desires to try this very killing and destructive me¬ 
thod, to meet with success after a little practice ; but certainly 
if he be bent on practising it to the utmost, he should not be 
without Porter’s edition of Hawker, who is the prince of autho¬ 
rities on this topic. And this brings me to a nobler division of 
my subject—the Wild Sports of the Wilderness. 
VOL. II. 10 
