MALLARD—TIMBER SHOOTING. 109 
When the hunter is among the timber, he must not 
think that, because all around him there is a perfect 
sea of water, that one place is as good as another; for 
in spite of the plenteousness of water, the seeming same- 
ness of all places, there is a great difference, and this the 
ducks know. As the hunter stands on some ridge with 
water all round him running gently, then again in 
another place flowing swiftly, he should mark the general 
direction of the flight, and notice where they are drop- 
ping in. Possibly, he will think that all through the 
timber the wateris thesame; that the ducks are flying 
aimlessly around with no object in view, simply delighted 
at finding so much water. Not so; they are looking for 
a feeding spot, a place where sluggish water lies ; where 
they can swim in any direction without effort, where, 
thickly strewn in the water, tender willow twigs abound, 
where, in its shallowness, without diving—mallards do 
not dive for food—they can stretch their necks and feel 
along the ground, or tip up their bodies, stick their bills 
into the soft mud, dig out the relished acorn, while to 
sustain them in this position they gracefully stand on 
their heads, and to keep their balance occasionally fan 
the air with their broad feet. 
This is the place the hunter should seek, and not 
rest until he finds it. Be assured it is to be found in 
the timber, and the ducks will be there waiting for you. 
When routed out, they will come again, and keep 
coming. When you look for a spot like this, hunt for 
high ridges. When most places are overflowed, the 
swift current will run around them, then quietly steal 
back behind the protecting ridges in little eddies ; and 
while the water booms and roars in the river, it is so 
quiet and still in these places of back water, that leaves 
