OUTFITS, BLINDS, DECOYS AND DUCK-CALLS. 349 
ping right in among them. Then always have decoys 
along with you, if you contemplate shooting over water. 
Bear in mind this, that youcannot have too many, the 
more the better, for the larger the flock the greater the 
attraction to passing birds. Of course, there is a limit to 
the number one can carry with convenience in his boat : 
and let your means of conveyance be the guide in di- 
recting you how many to take along. The best way to 
earry them is in a large coffee sack, with puckered 
string at the top. Have two,—in one from 12 to 18 
mallards, in the other about 10 or 12 red-heads and 12 
to 18 blue-bills. This will give a variety that will do 
for all kinds of ducks. Naturally, they decoy better to 
those of their own sort, but the kinds enumerated above 
answer all purposes and do away with the impossibility 
of having along decoys for each species one is apt to find. 
Mallards are the ducks found in greatest number 
throughout the Western and Middle States, and while 
most other ducks will decoy to them, they will very 
seldom decoy with reliability to other species. They 
are peculiar in this respect, and like to rest and feed 
apart from others. To be sure, they will often be seen 
with others, but if a careful investigation is made it 
will be found that these have come where they are. 
Yet this is not always the case, for being at times pos- 
sessed with neighborly inclinations, they occasionally 
visit their neighbors, the widgeon, pin-tail,—indeed, all 
other kinds. Following are decoys that answer for 
other than the birds they represent : 
Mallards, for red-heads, pin-taiis, gray duck and 
shovellers 
Red-heads, for canvas-backs and. blue-bills. 
Blue-bills, for red-heads and canvas-backs. 
