146 The Water-fowl Family 



the day; always wary and suspicious, remaining 

 in open places, and seldom trusting themselves in 

 range of land. These birds in the fall do not 

 often come to decoys. When the harbors are 

 frozen, and the current Or tide leaves a little open 

 water, the opportunity is afforded. There is no 

 colder shooting. A small, white ice-boat is a 

 convenient contrivance for this purpose. It is 

 rigged on a sled and pulled out to the edge of the 

 ice. The ducks are there and loath to leave. 

 They begin to return almost before the few 

 decoys are set and you have finished warming 

 your fingers. There are few sounds more attrac- 

 tive than their whistling wings, heard and not seen, 

 in the cold gray of dawn, — so close overhead, 

 you feel the birds must be in sight even in the 

 dim light. All is ready; soon you see a flock 

 high up, coming with speed. The flight is un- 

 mistakable, and the white breasts of the birds 

 noticeable. They circle and plunge into the 

 decoys, but are up again and off almost before 

 the shot. A frightened bird still sits among the 

 stool ; you wait for him to follow his comrades, 

 but he dives, coming up well out of range. 

 They come in nicely, but the bag is small and 

 well earned, for the cripples are difficult to kill, 

 and the cold makes you slow. 



The golden-eye subsists on a variety of food, — 

 small shellfish and Crustacea and various vege- 



