WILD GEESE AND BRANT. 1 99 



the Wild Goose is that generally in vogue along the South Shore 

 and at Currituck, two of the best shooting grounds on our Atlan- 

 tic seaboard, viz. : over live decoys from sink boxes. Sink boxes 

 are oblong water-tight boxes about six feet in length by two and 

 one-half wide, and eighteen inches deep. These boxes sunk in the 

 sand until the tops are just flush with the surface of the ground, 

 constitute the sportsman's blind. A spot is chosen on the sand- 

 bars of the bay where the geese are wont to resort for purposes ot 

 resting or feeding. Here the boxes are sunk and the live decoys 

 are fastened to stakes in shoal water. The hunter lies upon his 

 back in the box, and watches for the approach of the flocks of 

 geese. It is customary to allow the birds to alight with the decoys 

 and to give them one barrel on the water, and the other as they 

 rise. In some parts of the country live decoys are said to be 

 used with success, on land, calling down their wild brethren 

 from on high as they pass to and from their feeding grounds. In 

 such cases a blind of corn stalks is placed near the decoys and 

 from this place of concealment the sportsman levels his death- 

 dealing tube. 



