BLINDS. 51 



trunks and stumps should always be covered 

 with mud or grass to hide them from sight of 

 the ducks. Should the forward trees be the 

 proper distance apart, it is a good plan to 

 wedge the boat between them, thus making it 

 more steady and better to shoot from. 



In blue-bill shooting upon the edges of over- 

 flowed prairies and corn-fields, an excellent 

 blind may be made by turning your boat upon 

 its edge, and bracing it in that position by a 

 stake or oar. They do not appear to be at all 

 suspicious of it. For teal and golden-eyes this 

 plan answers nearly as well ; but mallard and 

 canvas-back are generally shy of it. 



In the winter, when the ground is covered 

 with snow, a blind made of bleached cotton-cloth, 

 fastened to stakes stuck in the ground, affords a 

 good concealment, and cannot be easily distin- 

 guished from the surrounding snow. A white 

 handkerchief should be worn over the cap or hat. 



Great quantities of ducks are often killed in 

 the air-holes about freezing-up time. Long 

 after the feeding-ponds are entirely covered with 

 ice the ducks remain feeding in the corn-fields 

 miles from the river, to which they return to 

 roost at night, in holes which they keep open 



