80 HISTORY OF THE 



the' high price they uniformly bring in market, various modes 

 are practiced to get within gunshot of them. The most suc- 

 cessful way is said to be decoying them to the shore by means 

 of a dog, while the gunner lies concealed in a proper situation. 

 The dog, if properly trained, plays back and forwards along the 

 margin of the water, and the Ducks, observing his manoeuvres, 

 enticed perhaps by curiosity, gradually approach the shore, un- 

 til they are sometimes within twenty or thirty yards of the spot 

 where the gunner lies concealed, and from which he rakes them, 

 first on the water, and then as they rise. This method is called 

 "tolling them in." If the ducks seem difficult to decoy, any 

 glaring object, such as a red handkerchief, is fixed around the 

 dog's middle or to his tail, and this rarely fails to attract them. 

 Sometimes, by moonlight, the sportsman directs his skiff to- 

 wards a flock whose position he has previously ascertained, 

 keeping within the projecting shadow of some wood, bank or 

 headland, and paddies along so silently and imperceptibly as 

 often to approach within fifteen or twenty yards of a flock of 

 many thousands, among whom he generally makes great slaugh- 

 ter. 



"Many other stratagems are practised, and indeed every plan 

 that the ingenuity of the experienced sportsman can suggest, to 

 approach within gunshot of these birds; but of all the modes 

 pursued, none intimidate them so much as shooting them by 

 night; and they soon abandon the place where they have been 

 thus repeatedly shot at. During the day they are dispersed 

 about, but towards evening collect in large flocks, and come into 

 the mouths of creeks, wliei-e they often ride, as at anchor, with 

 their head under their wing asleep, there being always sentinels 

 awake, ready to raise an alarm on the least appearance of dan- 

 ger. Even when feeding and diving in small parties, the whole 

 never go down at one time, but some are still left above on the 

 lookout. 



"When winter sets in severely, and the river is frozen, the 

 Canvas-back retreats to its confluence with the bay, occasionally 

 frequenting air holes in the ice, which are sometimes made for 

 the purpose, immediately above their favorite grass, to entice 



