142 THE CANVASS-BACK DUCK. 



about these shoals, diving, and tearing up the grass by ihfl 

 rocts, which is the only part they eat. They are extremely 

 «hy, and can rarely be approached, unless by stratagem. 

 When wounded in the wing, they dive to such prodigious 

 distances, and with such rapidity, continuing it so perse- 

 veringly, and with such cunning and active vigour, as 

 almost always to render the pursuit hopeless. 



From the great demand for these Ducks, and the high 

 price they uniformly bring in market, various modes arc 

 practised to get within gunshot of them. The most suc- 

 cessful way is said to be decoying them to the shore hy 

 means of a dog, while the gunner lies closely concealed in 

 a proper situation. The dog, if properly trained, plays 

 backwards and forwards along the margin of the water; and 

 the Ducks, observing his manoeuvres, enticed perhaps by 

 curiosity, gradually approach the shore, until they are some- 

 times 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 

 jlling them in. If the Ducks seem difficult to decoy, any 

 glaring object, such as a red handkerchief, is fixed round 

 <>he dog's middle, or to his tail; and this rarely fails to 

 attract them. Sometimes, by moonlight, the sportsman 

 directs his skiff towards a flock whose position he had pre- 

 viously ascertained, keeping within the projecting shadow 

 of some wood, bank, or headland, and paddles along bo 

 alently and imperceptibly as often to approach withii fifteco 



