CHESAPEAKE BAY DUCKING. 487 



was formerly abundant, and no satisfactory reason for 

 its absence has been given. 



Beside the vast quantities of ducks found here in 

 old times, many of the localities mentioned were noted 

 for their numbers of swans and geese. Swan Point at 

 the mouth of Chester River, Kent Point, Parson's 

 Island in Eastern Bay, Black Walnut Point at the 

 mouth of Choptank River, Hills Point, Tar Bay, were 

 favorite localities. The latter is now, at the proper 

 season, one of the best resorts left for geese. These 

 fowl are still to be found in many localities in good 

 numbers, since, from the character of their feeding 

 grounds, they are less disturbed and less shot at than 

 are the ducks. As they frequent the wide, open bodies 

 of water through the day and come in to the shores to 

 feed only at night or in very stormy weather, there are 

 not many places where they can be shot over decoys. 

 Some were killed out of sneak-boats and from booby 

 blinds, but where they are undisturbed by night shoot- 

 ing with a light — which is, of course, unlawful — they 

 are still to be seen in goodly numbers. 



This is not the case with swans, which, for some 

 reason — possibly for the want of proper food — are be- 

 coming much more scarce than formerly. They decoy 

 readily, and good shooting is to be had at them out of 

 a battery with swan decoys. Mr. J. G. Morris, of Eas- 

 ton, Md., tells of shooting them in this way, using No. 

 4 or even No. 6 shot and shooting at the head only. 



The same gentleman writes interestingly concerning 

 a method of killing swans and geese, which, while far 



