WILD FOWL. 217 



in a way, the flavour this oil imparts to tea is simply 

 abominable.' 



" I do not think there is any better place in America for 

 wild-fowl shooting than Anticosti. In the fall and spring, 

 geese and many different kinds of ducks swarm along the 

 coast and in the lagoons. I have seen bays black with 

 the sea duck of different sorts (Fuligidinse), and flights of 

 these birds at least half a mile in length. The ducks 

 (Anatidse) and the geese divide their time between the 

 beach and the fresh-water lakes and lagoons contiguous to 

 the beach. Not being harassed by gunners, the birds are 

 comparatively tame, and the wild-fowl shooter in Anticosti 

 can for once in his life glut himself with his favourite 

 sport. There is but one drawback, and that is that he 

 cannot share the contents of his bag amongst his friends. 



" I found that many of the water fowl, including the 

 gopse and the divers, were of a very inquisitive turn of 

 mind, and I used often to decoy them within shot by 

 waving a coloured pocket-handkerchief. The geese, mis- 

 taking my dog for a fox, would often approach quite close 

 to him in a defiant way. But more inquisitive even than a 

 woman is the red-throated diver. These birds are some- 

 times a positive nuisance, coming in from miles round to 

 look at a canoe, and then circling, chattering, and shrieking 

 around it. On the plains I have brought them up from a 

 great distance by standing on a tummock and shouting 

 and waving my hat. Although there are great numbers 

 of them, I could not find a nest. They are called 

 ' wobbies ' by the fishermen, who often catch them in 

 their nets. On the high rocks on the north shore of 

 the island, incredible quantities of sea birds hatch 



