298 DUCK SHOOTING. 



especially when the wind is to the southward and west- 

 ward. It will be readily observed that the shooting 

 season at best only extends over a period of four or five 

 weeks. They rarely stop at this place in autumn on 

 their way south, and, if they do, are not fat or fit for 

 table use. The birds, on arriving in the spring, enter 

 the bay from the west in flocks or gaggles — varying 

 from a few individuals up to several hundred — at no 

 great distance from the mainland, sometimes passing 

 directly over, not deigning to stop, even though their 

 food is abundantly spread out before them and thou- 

 sands of their less suspicious brethren are feeding there, 

 while other flocks will gradually lower themselves 

 down, swing around once or twice, then plunge into the 

 liquid element. All the migratory birds that follow the 

 coast line must of necessity pass this point both spring 

 and fall. Sometimes they lift and go over Nanset Bar or 

 Monomoy Island, and sometimes they pass around the 

 southerly end of the island, Cape Malabar, but the great 

 mass rise to a safe altitude, strike a "bee line" east by 

 north, and pass directly over this strip of land. We 

 have often remarked that the leader of each flock must 

 have a pocket compass placed in the top of his head, so 

 unerringly do they steer. 



One would naturally suppose, on seeing these birds 

 constantly feeding at any locality along the shore, it 

 would be easy enough to kill them. There are many 

 such places up and down our coast, but for reasons very 

 few birds can be killed. At the mouth of Bass River, 

 many brant linger and feed through the entire season, 



