176 AQUATIC FOWL. 



tagem. When wounded in the wing, they dive to such prodigious 

 distances, and with such rapidity, continuing it so perseveringly, 

 and with such cunning and active vigour, as almost always to ren- 

 der pursuit hopeless. From the great demand for these ducks, 

 and the high price they uniformly bring in market, various 

 modes are practised to get within gunshot of them. The most 

 successful way is said to be, decoying them to the shore by 

 means of a dog, while the gunner lies closely concealed in a 

 proper situation. The dog, if properly trained, plays back- 

 * wards alad forwards, along the margin of the water, and the 

 ducks, observing his manoeuvres, enticed, perhaps, by curiosity, 

 gradually approach the shore, until they are sometimes within 

 twenty or thirty yards of the spot where the gunner lies con- 

 cealed, and from which he rakes them, first on the water, and 

 then as they rise. This method is called tolling them in. If the 

 ducks seem difficult to decoy, any glaring object, such as a red 

 handkerchief, is fixed round the dog's middle, or to his tail, and 

 this rarely fails to attract them. Sometimes, by moonlight, the 

 sportsman directs his skiff towards a flock, whose position he had 

 previously ascertained, keeping within the projecting shadow of 

 some wood, bank, or headland, and paddles along so silently and 

 imperceptibly, as often to approach within fifteen or twenty yards 

 of a flock of many thousands, among whom he generally makes 

 great slaughter. 



" The canvas-back, in the rich, juicy tenderness of its flesh, 

 and its delicacy of flavour, stands unrivalled by the whole of its 

 tribe in this, or perhaps any other quarter of the world. Those 

 killed in the waters of the Chesapeake are generally esteemed 

 superior to all others, doubtless from the great abundance of 

 their favourite food which these rivers produce. At our public 

 dinners, hotels, and particular entertainments, the canvas-backs 

 are universal favourites. They not only grace, but dignify the 

 table, and their very name conveys to the imagination of the eagar 

 epicure, the most comfortable and exhilarating ideas. Hence, on 

 such occasions, it has not been uncommon to pay from one to 

 three dollars a pair for these ducks ; and, indeed, at such times, 

 if they can they must be had, whatever may be the price. 



*' The canvas-back will feed readily on grain, especially wheat, 

 and may be decoyed to particular places by baiting them with 

 that grain, for several successive days. Some few years since a 

 vessel loaded with wheat was wrecked near the entrance of Great 

 Egg Harbour, in the autumn, and went to pieces. The wheat 

 floated out in vast quantities, and the whole surface of the bay 



