THE AMERICAN SCOTER 393 



white suit, is working his cautious way along 

 toward the feeding flocks. The deception is so 

 complete that I have known that crafty old pi- 

 rate, the crow, to almost alight on the nose of 

 a float when it was being pushed after a flock 

 of seafowl. This float gunning is the method 

 most used for all duck and goose shooting on 

 the eastern New England coast line. 



The Coots are often approached by sail-boats 

 when there is a good sailing breeze, the craft 

 getting to windward and then coming down 

 upon them. As these birds always rise against 

 the breeze and are heavy in flight and slow in 

 getting under way there is often an opportunity 

 to get in several shots before they are out of 

 range. 



I remember discovering on one of my shoot- 

 ing trips a new and well-wooded island in 

 waters where I knew no island had stood be- 

 fore, and was surprised and alarmed to see my 

 find move bravely along "with a bone in its 

 teeth, " against wind and tide. I sat up in my 

 float and rubbed my eyes for another look. 

 Suddenly a cloud of smoke poured out through 

 the trees and the deep-throated roar of heavy 

 ten bores rolled over the water. The mystery 



