334 DUCK SHOOTING. 



have been feeding, a dozen or twenty decoys will be 

 thrown out, and a blind built for the boat. Often this 

 consists merely of a few branches stuck in the mud by 

 the vessel's side, or it may be practicable to push it into 

 tall grass or reeds, which will form a natural blind. 

 Whatever spot is chosen, the gunner must have 

 plenty of elbow room for himself and his companion, 

 for there is no greater handicap in shooting than being 

 cramped. 



Usually the birds that have been feeding in this place, 

 and which have been driven away by the boat's ap- 

 proach, will very soon begin to come back, and will 

 come in very gently to the decoys, offering extremely 

 pretty and easy shooting. Besides this, on a day such 

 as described, small bunches of birds are continually 

 flying about over the timber, looking for places where 

 the feed is good, and seeing the imitation ducks float- 

 ing on the water, at once lower their flight to secure 

 their share of the good things their companions are 

 feeding on. 



Often, if they are permitted to do so, the ducks will 

 alight among the decoys, and sometimes those that are 

 particularly gentle will even begin to feed with them; 

 but the lack of motion in the wooden stools soon ren- 

 ders them suspicious, and they spring into the air with 

 a sharp quack, only to be cut down before they fairly 

 get on the wing. 



If by chance, while good shooting is being had on 

 such a day, the wind should suddenly die down, it will 

 be found that the shooting ceases almost at once, for 



