52 



JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



licitude of our mother and other rela- 

 tives, the desire had never been 

 granted. As tlie guns used by our 

 grandfather and uncles could not be 

 taken witliout their knowledge, we 

 concluded to make use of the old 

 Queen's-arm. Hastily securing some 

 .•immunition. we took the old gun from 

 its corner in the shed, and taking a 

 nail hammer with which to explode 

 the cap, (its own agent for that pur- 

 pose being gone) we hastily retreated 

 to the woods which were close by. 

 ■ As soon as the woods were reached, 

 we at once commenced to load the 

 gun; but alas I In our haste we had 

 forgotten to secure paper or oakum, 

 which was needed to confine the load. 

 Failure seemed inevitable, when a 

 happy thought suggested my pocket- 

 handkerchief, and the rapidity with 

 which the larger portion disappeared 

 down the barrel of that gun was in- 

 credible. 



Every thing was then ready to com- 

 plete the act but the game, which was 

 at once furnished by a sparrow that 

 was hopping around on the ground. 

 The critical time had arrived. I rested 

 the gun across a stump and took aim, 

 while my brother stood by with unlift- 

 ed hammer, waiting for the order to 

 explode the cap. It came, and with 

 the discharge of the gun the experi- 

 ence was complete, for I went one 

 way, while the handkerchief went an- 

 other, and the way the cotton cloth 

 was spread around would have made a 

 laundress shudder. I am happy to say 

 the sparrow was not harmed. 



The decrease of the ducks was then 

 noticed by the less number of feeding 

 grounds frequented, especially during 

 the winter months. 



As thousands of these ducks could 

 then be seen in May when migrating 

 north to their breeding grounds, and 

 again in October when returning, some 

 said there were just as many ducks 

 as ever, and that the reason for their 

 decrease in certain localities was be- 



cause they had been driven away. 

 Others said that they could never be 

 exterminated, that the result of the an- 

 nual incubation would more' than re- 

 plenish the decrease caused by the 

 shooting season. How true this was, 

 we shall see. The greatest harm that 

 could be done to the ducks was during 

 the spring months, as they were then 

 on the way to their^ breeding grounds. 

 This was the time when the sports- 

 men already named took a most active 

 part in the drama, the effects of which 

 then could not remain unnoticed. The 

 gunners, with their knowledge of the 

 habits of the ducks, were able to as- 

 sure the sportsmen a successful day of 

 sport, and their services were at once 

 secured. 



Nearly any morning during the 

 months before named, there could be 

 seen all along our coast, at the most 

 desirable places, boat after boat, each 

 one containing a number of gunners 

 or sportsmen, and a string of decoys 

 waiting for victims. From off the 

 shore it was the same. Wherever it 

 was possible to get within the line of 

 flight, there would a string of decoys 

 be found. From the time it was light 

 enough to see until usually noon, but 

 sometimes near night, the incessant 

 bang! bang! of the gun could be 

 heard as far as the ear could heai'. 

 Hundreds of ducks were killed each 

 day, and the more they killed the more 

 they wanted. 



Not only ducks were killed, but any 

 species peculiar to the coast, and 

 which would come within range, was 

 accepted as a target. 



I do not mean to assert that all 

 sportsmen or gunners possessed this 

 disposition. Many of them were sat- 

 isfied with a fair day's sport, and 

 many times when the distinction could 

 be made, allowed the female duck to 

 pass unharmed, especially in the 

 spring. 



But one thing yet was necessary to 

 complete the work then well begun. 



