116 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



in the vicinity; for each particular flock of Ducks, if it con- 

 tains twenty-five only or numbers hundreds, invariably returns 

 to the same shoal unless worried too much, when they will 

 select some other. And so at the time of which I write, all 

 along our coast on any morning in the months named, they 

 can be seen by thousands. Acres of water will be black 

 with them and flock after flock leave for more northern feed- 

 ing grounds, while others are just arriving from the south. 



Now let us start some morning at the present time (March) 

 under favorable circumstances and see what we will find. 

 Perhaps not a shoal at all for miles is occupied, and if at all 

 with only a few stragglers. But let us go to some headland 

 that makes out into the sea beyond all others, put out our 

 decoys and watch the result. About sunrise the Ducks will 

 begin to fly. Their numbers vary from a single bird to three 

 and eight and sometimes fifteen, but the last will be the excep- 

 tion. If you stop through the day, you might count fifty such 

 flocks or see only a dozen, and even less than that. 



Instead of being a few yards above the water as they used 

 to fly, they will be out of gunshot up in the air, and when they 

 notice the decoys instead of trying to reach them as formerly, 

 they will double their exertions to put the greatest possible 

 distance between them. This will not apply to every flock, 

 yet the majority will do it. Whereas they used to come as 

 near as could be wished to shoot with a gun, now you need a 

 cannon, and you must be very careful or you will strain that. 

 And is this to be wondered at, when on any favorable morn- 

 ing in the months mentioned, from one to eight boats with 

 decoys may be found off" every headland along the migration 

 route with every flock that comes along meeting the " bang! " 

 "bang!" the whole length of our coast. 



In spring if the wind is favorable, they will not stop or even 

 come in sight of land here, but will fly straight from Cape Cod 

 to some distant point east. The fall of '96 was favorable for 

 birds, as the prevailing winds were northeast during the flights. 



