48 The Water-fowl Family 



and, after an extra greasing, puts them in the rack, 

 unlocks the cartridge room, and fills the " kit " 

 with some three hundred shells. The lucky 

 sportsman who is to dwell in this spot for two 

 weeks gets out of travelling clothes and proceeds 

 to ask all manner of questions, which only serve 

 to make him more restless and uneasy than he was 

 before. He walks out. A wooden walk, built high 

 on spiles, leads to the administration building. On 

 the marsh side of this platform are some dozen or 

 more cottages, all of them built out of the reach of 

 high water. In front of each is a boat-house, with 

 its duck-house on the side. One or two of these 

 well filled bear evidence of good shooting. About 

 the dock some hell-divers dip up and down. A 

 gunshot off in the creek, a flock of broadbill feed 

 undisturbed. The very atmosphere suggests 

 ducks. A winding stair leads to a lookout on 

 the top of the administration house. From here 

 a view is had of portions of the neighboring marsh. 

 A large body of water in front is the Island Pond. 

 Even to the naked eye flocks of duck are apparent 

 on the water. With glasses it seems to be all 

 dotted over, though most of the ducks turn out to 

 be mud-hens. Against the farther edge is a line 

 of birds easily made out ; their light backs mark 

 them as canvas-back, and in the light of sunset 

 they shine. With the last rays of day the new 

 arrival to this duck paradise looks out on the 



