Duck hunting

'I'm not sure about this duck hunting,' said Murphy. 'We've been here six hours and we still haven't caught one.'

'Maybe we're not throwing the dog high enough,' suggested Casey.

The same pair, some weeks later, had been told the error of their ways and returned fully equipped with shotguns, binoculars - in fact the whole shebang.

As they lay in the reeds giving blasts on the decoy duck quackers, they suddenly spotted an object in the sky above. It was a Japanese tourist taking advantage of the windy conditions to do a little hang-gliding.

Both Irishmen opened fire simultaneously, riddling the sails with shot, causing the whole contraption to fall to earth, the passenger falling free and disappearing into the river.

'Did we kill that bird?' asked Murphy.

'I don't know,' said Casey. 'But at least we got it to drop the poor Jap!'