50 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



calling them to their company. Unsuspectingly they hasten to join them, but 

 learn too late that these birds are not friends but treacherous dupes, trained, 

 unwittingly no doubt, to decoy them to their ruin. 



There are a number of shooting stands at various ponds in the County 

 where live Black Duck, Mallard, and Canada Goose decoys are kept for the 

 purpose of tolling down their passing fellows. These stands vary in complexity 

 from the temporary ambush of reeds and branches with a few wooden decoys 

 and perhaps a couple of live ones, to the more elaborate permanent stands, con- 

 trolled by individuals or clubs. These latter are generally built on wooded 

 points, within the shelter of which the camp with bunks for sleeping is_ hidden. 

 Close-fitting shutters prevent the lights streaming from the windows at night 

 and alarming any wandering birds. From this camp a path, carefully screened 

 by brush, leads to the blind on the shore of the pond. This is a fenced-in 

 structure, the boards being thoroughly covered with brush of all sorts, skillfully 

 arranged to conceal it, while a canopy of branches overhead helps to hide the 

 gunners from any passing birds. In front of the blind is a gently sloping sand 

 or gravel beach, leading straight out to an acute angle or sand bar. If the spot 

 chosen for the blind is boggy, the beach, which is very desirable, is made by 

 placing sand on a foundation of logs and planks. 



The wooden decoys, or " blocks," as they are called, are often skillfully 

 carved and painted to represent Black Ducks, Scaups, Whistlers, Widgeons, and 

 Canada Geese. The more perfect the copy of the living bird, the more success- 

 ful are they in tolling them in. The blocks are either anchored off the shore, 

 or attached to "runners" in groups of fifteen or twenty. These "runners" are 

 small ropes or lines arranged like endless chains, extending from the blind to 

 pulleys in buoys sunk a few inches below the surface of the water, at a distance 

 of a hundred and fifty yards or so off in the pond. The live decoys are teth- 

 ered near the shore or on the beach itself by straps or "boots" attached to 

 their legs, while a snap and swivel fastens them to stakes or to leaden weights. 

 Some live decoys may be attached to a runner, while others are allowed to 

 wander about at will. In the blind are kept pens of "flyers" or "scalers," as 

 they are called, generally young birds. These birds are thrown up into the air 

 when Ducks are seen flying about, or swimming on the water at a distance. 

 They fly or "scale " off for a varying distance, and, alighting on the water, begin 

 to swim towards their home, where they are sure of companionship and food. 

 At times the flyers are automatically released from pens at a distance. The 

 sight of these birds flying freely about, quacking and swimming to an attractive 

 beach naturally entices their wild relatives ; for a beach on which they may rest 

 and preen their feathers always has its charms. The fascinations of the beach 

 are increased by the sight of the decoy birds eagerly feeding on corn which has 



