Part 14 (1/2)

Jan 8 38 geese

Jan 19 59 geese The record--(B F B) Dec 29 HM King Alfonso XIII, 6 geese; Marq de Viana, 5 = 11 geese (an unfavourable uns (second at Cano de la Casquera), 12 + 28 = 40 geese

Jan 8 23 geese

Possibly the larger totals are unsurpassed in the world's records By way of contrast we append what may perchance be discovered in the note-book of the veracious tyro:--

Went out three s at ridiculous ranges, fluked three geese, and scared three thousand

INSTRUCTIONS IN SHOOTING WILD-GEESE

Where the uns suffice But since geese are very strong and heavily clad, large shot is a necessity, say No 1

Thirty to thirty-five yards should be regarded as the outside range, with forty yards as an extreme limit The latter, however, should only be atte in couns be employed, the case of the second is, of course, different It er shot--say AAA--which is effective up to fifty yards

The speed of geese (like that of bustards) is extremely deceptive--as much so as their apparent nearness when really far out of shot When in full flight geese travel as fast as ducks or as driven grouse, though their relatively sloing-beats give a totally false iinners to allow _double_ that forward swing of the gun that eese are slowing down to alight, the ireater than it appears

It is a eese cannot be killed coe,” or that you ”must let them pass over and shoot from behind,” etc, etc The cause of all these frequent misapprehensions is--the old, old story--_too far back!_ Hold another foot ahead--or a yard, according to circumstance--and this dictum will be handsomely proved

Never deliberately try to kill two at one shot; it results in killing neither But by shooting well ahead of _one_ goose that is seen to be aligned with another beyond, _both_ may thus be secured

CHAPTER XII

SOME RECORDS IN SPANISH WILDFOWLING

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

El Travierso, _February 9, 1901_--An hour before dae (five guns) lay echeloned obliquely across athe second out No 1 squatted (in six inches of water) betweendissatisfied, eese and about a dozen ducks These, with thirty-six of aggle of geese, and two, co from behind, were already so near that there was only tieese passed abeam, quite low and within thirty yards, but six feet apart--i that the decoys were a fraud, the geese spun up vertically, and that _one_ cartridge secured both The incident gives opportunity to introduce two rough sketches pencilled down at thethis day there were recurrent periods when for ten or fifteen, minutes ducks flew extremely fast and well--_revoluciones_, our keepers term these sporadic interht follow a spell of absolute silence and an ehts concentrated on No 2--such is fowler's luck,--so that by dusk I had gathered 105 ducks, 3 geese, 3 flaun (J C C), though only 200 yards away, in No 3, had but 30 ducks; while the others had practically had no shooting all day Bertie, however, twothe day's total to 268 ducks, 8 geese, etc Three guns left to-night

Next day at the Canaliza, Bertie and I had 70 ducks by noon, when (by reason of intense sun-glare at the point) I shi+fted back to h sticky es, ducks, etc Thereat in one hour (4 to 5 PM) I secured 56 ducks, bringing my total for the two days--a record in my humble way, but surpassed threefold, as will be seen on following pages--to over 200 head, and for the party, to precisely 500 (491 ducks and 9 geese), besides flarey-plover, etc

[Illustration: GodWITS]

A curious incident occurred on February 11 (1907) But few ducks--and they all teal--had ”flighted” early, and a strong ind having ”blown” the water, my post was left near dry Just as I prepared to move 300 yards eastward, a marvellous movement of teal co clouds, each perhaps 100 yards in length by 20 in depth, and all three waltzing and wheeling in ht and left in rhythain upon themselves with a precision ofEach unit of those thousands, actuated by si speed; and with that changed course they changed also their colour, flashi+ng in an instant fros resembled an earthquake

All three clouds had already passed along the deeper water beyond rine falcon had for so with envious eye the dozen or two dead ducks stuck up around my post; now he swept away, as it were, to intercept that feathered avalanche oncut off, doubled back in tuht in ht down a perfect shower of teal--probably 30 or athered 18 as fast as the sticky mud allowed; others fluttered here and there beyond reach; how many in all escaped to feed marsh-harriers none can tell

Another incident with peregrine:--I had just taken post for night-flighting at the Albacias, when, as dusk fell, a big bird appeared in the gloo (though doubtfully) that it was a goose, I fired The stranger proved to be a beautiful adult peregrine, carrying in its claws a marbled duck, and the pair are now set up inare apt to provoke two senti true, such results ards the second, the assunores the nature and essential character of wildfowl