406 DUCK SHOOTINC. 



room in the air around a goose as there is around a 

 duck, and unless your gun is carefully held you will 

 shoot behind the bird. If you miss him with your first 

 barrel you are very likely to miss him also with the 

 second, which is likely to be fired with undue haste. If, 

 however, your first barrel has done the work, and he 

 falls to the water, your boatman is certain to ofi^er you 

 cordial congratulations which will warm the cockles of 

 your heart. 



Often it may happen that, while the goose does not 

 come down to the decoys, he will alter his flight and 

 pass over the blind within long range. In such a case 

 your shot may perhaps fail to break any bone, and yet 

 may mortally wound the bird, which, after making a 

 wide circuit or a long flight, will at last come to the 

 water stone dead. 



The dogs used in this gunning are Chesapeake Bay 

 dogs, brown or tan in color, and with coats long or 

 short, straight or curly. They are admirable water 

 dogs, and those which are well trained do work that is 

 really marvelous. 



To me these dogs look like the pure bred Newfound- 

 lands which we used to see years ago, before the New- 

 foundland had been crossed with the rough St. Ber- 

 nard, to give him the size which is regarded as essential 

 for show purposes. I know that it is often said that the 

 Chesapeake Bay dogs are a breed formed by crossing 

 the Irish water spaniel with the Newfoundland, but I 

 can see in the specimens that have come under my eye 

 no trace of water spaniel character, except perhaps 



