CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 255 



needless. To finish, the whole thing is now to be 

 painted as near the color of the water as pos- 

 sible, and when dry is ready for use. 



A bed of hay or straw is prepared in the 

 bottom, on which the shooter is to lie, a j)illow 

 placed at the end for his head, and the sink is next 

 towed out and anchored in the desired position. 

 The decoys are next set out, the guns and am- 

 munition transferred from the paddle-boat, and 

 after adding sufficient ballast with the w^eight of 

 the shooter to sink the edge of the platform to 

 the surface of the water, the shooter takes his 

 place, and his companion leaves him. The com- 

 panion's duty now is to rout up the ducks oc- 

 casionally when they get settled ; to secure the 

 cripples, if ^^ossible ; to pick up the dead ; and 

 to release the shooter when necessary. 



From the position of the shooter it is evident 

 he can only shoot in very limited directions ; 

 the decoys must therefore be so arranged that 

 ducks coming to them will approach in such a 

 manner as shall be most favorable to his con- 

 dition for shooting. The arrangement fulfilling 

 this requirement most perfectly is as follows : 

 not less than one hundred decoys should be 

 used, placed square to the right fifteen yards, to 



