THE BATTERY. 555 



ing the decoys near the battery. It is especially nec- 

 essary when the tail stone has been pulled out on ac- 

 count of some slight shift of wind, and the decoys must 

 be reset alongside of the battery. 



Most single batteries are equipped with eight iron 

 duck decoys, each weighing about twenty-three or 

 twenty-five pounds. The weight of the gunner, of 

 course, regulates the number of these to be used, and 

 the weather conditions may also have a bearing on this, 

 since, sometimes by removing a few of the iron decoys, 

 a battery may be used in quite rough water, although 

 the ducks will not come up as well if the battery stands 

 high. 



Double batteries require an increased number of the 

 iron duck decoys, or sometimes the number is lessened, 

 and side weights, weighing usually fifty-six pounds — 

 and bybatterymen called 56's — are hung on the timbers 

 of the battery platform under the side fenders. These 

 are cut away on the end, so as to be somewhat notched, 

 and the weight is hung by a looped rope. A hook, 

 something like a cotton-hook, is used to lift these 

 weights off and on. 



Since the gunner reclines in the box, it is evident 

 that any water which may enter it will cause him dis- 

 comfort ; it is therefore the practice to have a bottom- 

 board of some light stuff, about the length of the box, 

 but less wide by one quarter of an inch on either side, 

 so that the water which enters may flow down under 

 it. This board is raised above the box by very thin 

 cross strips tacked to it, and at its lower end it is cut 



