SEA SHOOTING ON THE ATLANTIC. 425 



On the Maine coast, at the mouth of some of the 

 rivers, as, for example, near the quaint old seaport 

 town of Kennebunkport, there is fair coot and sea-duck 

 shooting over decoys. These are anchored between 

 the grounds where the birds pass the night and their 

 feeding places nearer to the shore. No attempt is 

 made at concealing the boat, though the gunners keep 

 themselves out of sight as well as possible. The de- 

 coys should be out by daylight, for, before the sun 

 rises, the birds are on the move, and a long dark line to 

 the eastward will be seen, the birds flying toward the 

 shore. In such places as this a few eider ducks — 

 called sea ducks on this coast — are likely to be killed, 

 and rarely among them will be found a king eider. 

 Now and then a little bunch of harlequin may fly with- 

 in gun-shot, and perhaps one or two of them will be 

 knocked down, but unless they are quite dead they are 

 not likely to be recovered, for they are most expert at 

 diving and skulking. 



In all this sea shooting the bag is likely to be a 

 mixed one, and to contain everything, from grebe and 

 loon up through old-squaw, coot, eider and broad-bill 

 to black duck or goose. Those who practice it are out 

 for shooting, and shooting they will have, no matter 

 at what it may be. 



At certain points along the rocky New England 

 coast the bays, sounds and harbors are dotted with 

 little islets surrounded by deep water. Often the feed- 

 ing grounds of the coots, old-squaws and broad-bills 

 are in the immediate neighborhood of such islands, and 



