152 ON THE WING. 



DUG-OUTS. 



" Another very successful mode of killing ducks, 

 and one which has been very much in vogue for many 

 years on our rivers, is the use of the dig-outs or dug- 

 outs,* a small kind of boat moored over the flats, and 

 concealed as far as possible from observation by 

 quantities of eel-grass thrown over it. Thus fixed, 

 and surrounded by large numbers of decoys that are 

 previously anchored all around the little vessel, the 

 shooter patiently awaits the approach of the wild 

 ducks which are flying up and down the river, and 

 are, of course, tempted to dart down upon the decep- 

 tive decoys, believing them to be others of their own 

 species that are feeding in perfect security, notwith- 

 standing the proximity of the greenish mass which 

 conceals the shooter and his boat. As soon as the 

 canvas-backs have come sufficiently near, the shooter 

 rises up suddenly and blazes away with his ponderous 

 weapon, dealing death and destruction throughout the 

 affrighted ranks of his unsuspecting victims. 



" When the weather is favorable and the ducks are 

 flying, this plan succeeds very well, and offers consid- 

 erable attractions in the way of sport to those accus- 

 tomed to wild-fowl shooting ; but if the weather be 

 cold and boisterous, none should attempt it but those 

 inured to the roughest usage and who are perfectly 

 regardless of the state of the elements. 



* " So termed from being constructed by excavating the trunk 

 of a large tree sufficiently deep to allow the person of the 

 shooter to lie concealed in it." 



