Duck-shooting 41 



wavy line circles in over the decoys, hovers, and 

 lights. Very few of the smaller flocks depart, 

 three out of four, three straight, three out of five 

 — it doesn't take long to run up a score. For a 

 short time the flight is thick and fast, the birds 

 pile in, but with high water comes a let-up. 

 There are instances of sixty birds being killed 

 in this way from a single box at one tide ; but the 

 average at the branting shanties, during the 

 season now, is probably nearer nothing than six. 



BRANT-SHOOTING IN VIRGINIA 



Along the Virginia coast, reaching south to 

 South Carolina, are a series of shallow bays, sepa- 

 rated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, 

 their shores lined with marshes and marshy 

 islands. Here is the winter home of the brant. 

 The first flocks arrive early in November, and by 

 December the large body has accumulated on the 

 first resting-place since leaving the Arctic shores. 

 At first the birds keep pretty much to the open 

 channel and deeper portions of the bay; remain- 

 ing in huge masses, they move to and fro from 

 the feeding-grounds as the tide affords oppor- 

 tunity. These flats are covered in many places 

 by patches of thin eel-grass, and this is their food. 

 As the brant does not dive, it is evident low 

 water is essential for its feeding. Long before 

 the arrival, their coming has been anticipated. 



