VICISSITUDES OF SINK-BOX SHOOTING § 59 
was easy, but I had a merry chase after the one with the 
broken wing. The next birds to show up were a pair 
of mallards. They were thoughtful and considerate 
enough not to put in an appearance until I was safely 
ensconced again in the sink box, after my blue-bill 
chase. I fired two shells quickly, leading each bird 
eight feet. Each duck was in the center of the charge 
and each swept on ten feet through the air before 
falling. 
Seven green-wing teal had been feeding three gun- 
shots out in the lake for the past hour. Seeing all the 
other ducks careering and sweeping through the air, 
they took it into their heads to fly also. They swung 
around towards me. I gave two or three little teal 
calls. They flew by with no intention of alighting. 
Two bunched and fell to the first shell. The other 
five jumped straight up as they always do. I fired two 
more shots, each three feet over separate single teal and 
one fell. There was little use in shooting again. If 
another was hit at that distance it would be a miracle 
if I could get him. A wounded bird would only fall 
and swim away. 
The wind was blowing fairly hard. Small waves were 
dashing against the side of the sink box, sending a little 
slap of water over the edge. The side boards were stuck 
down in the mud on all four sides of the sink box. I 
dug them up and raised them their full height of eight 
inches; they would keep the water out unless the wind 
increased considerably. 
The ducks were flying and milling round and round all 
over the lake. I could hear other sportsmen shooting 
rapidly in various directions. The coming of the row- 
boat started the birds and the coming storm and 
freshening wind kept them from alighting again. The 
