344 FEATHERED GAME 



over the flocks while feeding, flying instantly 

 at an alarm, and only alighting a long distance 

 away. They seem to know at just what dis- 

 tance a modem shotgun is effective, so that, 

 when the gunner is ''sculling" them in winter 

 they keep a watchful eye upon that seeming ice- 

 cake which the coots and bluebills allow to ap- 

 proach so readily, and as the old drake Whistler 

 looks over his shoulder at his pursuer he says 

 to himself, says he, "Three hundred yards 

 away, — all right I ' ' and down he goes for an- 

 other mouthful, bobs up, sit up on his tail, gives 

 his feathers a shake and takes another critical 

 sui'vey of the diminishing distance, — ' ' Two hun- 

 dred yards? — TTell it grieves me greatly thus 

 to leave you, but I must be going," and off he 

 streaks it with his swiftly-moving wings mak- 

 ing a loud whistling, of course very cheering to 

 the toiler in the float, who sits up and listens as 

 it grows fainter and fainter until he marks his 

 intended victim down a mile away, where he 

 waits for the gunner to follow him to be teased 

 some more. Their whistling may be heard a 

 long distance — certainly half a mile on a still 

 day. The bird is strong-winged and swift of 

 flight. Audubon claims that a ^Yhistler can 



