OF A RANCHMAN 89 



creeks, with many branches, always holding 

 T, and swelling out into small pools and 

 lakelets wherever there is a hollow. The 

 prairie round about is wet, at times almost 

 marshy, especially at the borders of the 

 great reedy slews. These pools and slews 

 are favorite breeding-places for water-fowl, 

 especially for mallard, and a good bag can 

 be made at them in the fall, both among the 







young flappers (as tender and delicious 

 birds for the table as any I know), and 

 among the flights of wild duck that make the 

 region a stopping-place on their southern mi- 

 gration. In these small pools, with little 

 cover round the edges, the poor flappers are 

 at a great disadvantage ; we never shoot them 

 unless we really need them for the table. 

 But quite often, in August or September, 

 if near the place, I have gone down to visit 

 one or two of the pools, and have bn 

 home half a dozen flappers, killed with the 

 rifle if I had been out after large game, or 

 v.ith the revolver if I had merely been among 



