in season, the smaller will be that venthole which is formed just before the under, or belly, fin. After all, I prefer this, and one other, way of deciding; which is by the bright and silver-like appearance of the scales. Take twenty trout, and, I think, if you dress them all, and previously mark that one on which the scales shone the brightest, it will prove to be the best fish. This may be frequently ascertained, even before you land a trout, as a bright one, on being first hooked, generally gives two or three leaps out of the water.

Before you send trout on a journey, have them gutted and washed, but leave the scales on, and let them be laid on their backs, and closely packed in willow (not flag) baskets, and with either flags or dry wheat straw. Packing in damp grass or rushes is apt to ferment, and therefore liable to spoil your fish. Moreover, you should have the baskets made long and shallow, in order to avoid, as much as possible, laying the trout on each other. For the last hint I am indebted to my old factotum, Mr. Grove, in Bond Street, whom, not only for his fish, but for his honour and honesty, I consider as No. 1. among the fishmongers.

Having had some experience in sending trout to, as well as receiving them in, London, I may venture to prescribe for those who are in the habit of doing the same. Trout should be sent, as soon as possible after their arrival, to be laid on (not in) ice. I have repeatedly tried the efficacy of this. The trout which I received, the day after being caught, were soft and watery, in consequence of the journey; though they had travelled only by night. But those from the ice on the next day, were almost as good as if taken fresh from the river; for, by this process, the curd becomes

set, and the fish recover their firmness.

Trout will retain their flavour pretty well for two or three days, by being laid on ice, and turned, about once in twelve hours; but, if merely put on stones, they will be scarcely eatable, and frequently quite spoiled on the third day after being caught. This plan, by the way, holds good for other fish; insomuch that the ice will preserve them for many weeks after the flavour is quite gone. Thus it is that people are so frequently taken in with a fine-looking piece of salmon ; which, although apparently fresh, and perfectly sweet, has been so long in a state of petrifaction as to have no more flavour than a bit of old leather.

I have been solicited by sportsmen on the Continent, as well as of my own country, to enlarge on angling in general. But, as my experience has been chiefly limited to trout fishing, I should be sorry to impose on that confidence with which they have honoured me, by attempting to write on other branches of the art where I have but a superficial knowledge and I would scorn to become a book-maker, by stealing from other authors.

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209

A LIST OF BIRDS,

&c. &c.

WHICH ARE MOST COMMONLY FOLLOWED BY

SHOOTING SPORTSMEN,

ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED,

WITH

THEIR PROPER NAMES, AS SELECTED BY BEWICK; THE LATIN AND FRENCH FOR THEM, AS GIVEN BY LINNEUS AND BUFFON; AND OCCASIONAL DIRECTIONS RELATIVE TO SHOOTING THEM.

IN selecting this list, it becomes a question where to draw the line between those which are and those which are not considered sporting birds; but as many shooters would be eager to kill what others would scarcely deign to fire at, it is presumed that the better way will be, not only to insert those which are followed by the keen sportsman, but all that are shot at for diversion or practice.

With regard to the proper names of land birds, there is little difficulty in selecting them; but for those of water birds, and particularly wildfowl, there are so many provincial terms, that it would be a dull and endless task to construe the appellations given them by the decoymen, poulterers, and gunners, into their proper names in natural history. For example: the dunbirds are called redheads on the South and West coasts, and Parkers or half-birds in the fens. This is

P

also a general term here for all birds under the size of the common wild duck. The morillons* are called douckers in Scotland, and gingling curres in the West. The tufted ducks are blue-billed curres on the Western, and dovvers on the Eastern coast, in many parts round which the wigeon are only known by the name of winder. The golden-eye is commonly called pied curre; and the scaup-duck is known by the name of gray-back curre in the South and West, and that of teal-drake in the North. For these, and all the various tribes of smaller wildfowl, the decoymen and poulterers have a sort of sweepstakes appellation, by putting them down as dunbirds and divers. Again, there are many absurd names for other birds, such as Tommy Loos for the divers, Isle of Wight parsons for the cormorants, and so on.

On the French coast, the same. We here find the dunbirds, and others of their kind, provincially called vignons; the wigeon, sarcelles; and coots, marcareux, &c. &c. In short, it would be a waste of time to explain the nonsensical terms by which only birds are known in many places; and more particularly as the naturalist or sportsman should be provided with "Bewick," which has not only the advantage of being portable as a pocket companion, but will answer his purpose far better than any other work, during his pursuit in sport, or search of natural history.

1844. We have now also the splendid modern work of Mr. Yarrell, which contains many things not known in the days of our immortal wood-engraver, Bewick.

The birds marked thus (*) are those of the Anas

Or young Golden-eyes, according to Leadbeater.

kind fit to be eaten, and which are usually considered as wildfowl. For the general pursuit of these, specific directions shall be given in another part of the work, as my young readers will be able to understand them better, after they have received a few lessons in shooting from a punt. The following alphabet therefore is chiefly intended as a directory for the more common mode of shooting.

In getting at all wild birds, approach them circuitously, instead of going directly up to them; and avoid looking full at them until you have got within shot, or till they shall, if flying, have come sufficiently close for you to fire. If you see a wild bird, when unprepared for him, either continue your course without looking at him, or instantly retreat, and he may then probably sit quietly till you can advance with caution on him a second time.

If a valuable bird lies wounded, always go up to him prepared to shoot, lest he should rise again, and make his escape.

BITTERNS.

To know if there are any in the fens, send out in the evening, when they may be seen on the wing, and heard making a hollow booming noise. The following day you may beat for them with dogs, that will either point them, or hunt near enough to spring them in shot; as they will lie so close among the rushes, as to be sometimes nearly trod on before they will rise. If you wing a bittern, be careful that he does not strike you with his beak.

There are two sorts of bittern; the COMMON one, otherwise called Bogbumper, Bitterbum, or Miredum (Ardea stellaris — le butor); and the LITTLE BITTERN (Ardea minuta-le blongios).