DUCK SHOOTING. 237 
“ And yet the naturalists class the canvas-back 
among fuligule, or sea ducks.” 
“That arises from some scientific peculiarity, and 
is not universal. He is certainly a fresh-water duck, 
and thousands are shot here yearly.” 
“J lose a great many crippled birds,” said the 
unlucky man, meditatively ; “‘I wonder what be- 
comes of them all ?” 
“Many die, a few recover, some are frozen in 
when the bay freezes over; after the first hard frost 
large numbers can be picked up, but they are so poor 
as only to be fit to send to the New York market. 
Most sportsmen lose many ducks that they should 
recover; considerable practice is required to mark 
well, but the search after a bird should be thorough, 
and not lightly abandoned. The boat, when pushed 
into the reeds, must be so placed that it can be easily 
shoved off, and the pole kept ready for instant use. 
If, however, a mallard is only wounded, and falls 
into the weeds, it is useless to go after him. 
“On the other hand, if a canvas-back, but slightly 
touched, falls in open water, he will be rarely reco- 
vered; the one hides in the weeds, the other dives 
and swims under water prodigiously. The mallard 
and canvas-back are the types of two classes—the 
former is a marsh duck, the latter an open-water 
duck. The mallard lives on the pond-lily seeds, and 
affects the shallow, muddy pond-holes; the canvas- 
back seeks the broad channels, and devours the 
roots of plants; the one dodges at the flash of the 
gun or sight of the sportsman, the other moves ma- 
