THE ' COFFIN/ 55 



Another method by which they are taken is that 

 of attracting them to the gunner, by employing a 

 dog to play and gambol on the beach within their 

 sight. Soon after the canvas-backs have arrived 

 from their breeding-haunts this plan answers best; 

 and such is their extraordinary stupidity, that the 

 same flock can be again and again enticed within 

 range. By this means very heavy bags are fre- 

 quently made, but it is not by all regarded as a fair 

 way of attaining game. In fact, the majority of 

 shooting -clubs have issued a positive injunction 

 against the employment of such a device on their 

 grounds. They are also shot from a surface-boat, 

 not inaptly called, from its appearance, a coffin, 

 around and on which are placed a number of decoys. 

 The quantity of birds that have been killed in a 

 season by one man, by this means, is sometimes so 

 enormous that, if the author were to state the num- 

 bers, the English sportsman would be apt to believe 

 he was dealing in the marvellous. In this case, 

 however, the labourer is worthy of his hire, for the 

 discomfort attending so novel a means of obtaining 

 sport is so great, that an immense return is required 

 as an adequate compensation for the inconvenience 

 incurred. 



The danger, however, is inconsiderable ; and 

 whatever may be ' the impression of the debutant 

 on first inspecting one of these extraordinary-looking 

 machines, he may safely trust himself in its limited 

 accommodation, even supposing it be blowing half a 



