WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 137 



that many sportsmen from New York and the New 

 England States go annually to these lakes, and make 

 a business of shooting for the market. And a good 

 business they make of it. Not only are they able to 

 pay their expenses, but they generally derive con- 

 siderable income beside ; and, added to these pecuni- 

 ary results, they get a certain enjoyment which cannot 

 be expressed in dollars and cents. 



The varieties of ducks found on our Northern and 

 Western lakes are quite various, and many of them 

 are of exceedingly fine flavor. The mallard, the 

 American widgeon, the black duck, and many others 

 are found in great numbers. In the autumn, these 

 ducks, having fed on the wild celery and other choice 

 food abundant on our inland waters, are in very fine 

 condition. The usual method of shooting these 

 ducks is to take them at their places of rendezvous. 

 These places are readily discovered. They are gen- 

 erally found in large 'bays or inlets, particularly in 

 such as contain large patches of wild grass and celery. 



Into these places the ducks come in great quan- 

 tities, flying in about sunset, and leaving about sun- 

 rise. Sportsmen arrange to take them on these 

 occasions. If evening sport be desired, sportsmen 

 locate themselves with their boats and decoys in the 

 most desirable and least observable positions, in the 

 afternoon, before the ducks begin to arrive. The 

 ducks are then taken as they come in ; and it not un- 

 frequently occurs that the guns are kept in constant 

 operation, and that one or two hours suffices to nearly 

 load a boat with game. If morning sport be desired, 



