WILDFOWL SHOOTING. 311 



Here the birds will probably come in faster than 

 you can count them, and you have then only to wait 

 till they are well packed together ; in which case, 

 you would probably get from ten to twenty at a shot. 



If the pond is large, place some one concealed on 

 the opposite side, who (should the birds be feeding 

 out of your reach) will, by a gentle noise, be sure to 

 make them swim across ; but, if he overdoes his 

 part ; goes directly to windward ; or shows himself; 

 they vf ill fly up. Never fire at random on such oc- 

 casions. If you wish to make the birds forsake one 

 pond, with the view of their using another more 

 convenient for shooting them, you should put, in 

 the former, either some train oil and quick lime ; a 

 bushel of soot ; or two winged birds, well rubbed 

 over with asafoetida. 



The dunbirds and divers* may be easily known, 



* So called by the decoy men : These birds have different pro- 

 vincial names on almost every coast: in some places, they are 

 called cnrrcs, in others, duckers ; and, by many, are indiscrimi- 

 natgty classed with the dunbirds. Their proper names, however, 

 arc scaup duck, tufted duck, gadwall, golden-eye, and moriliou. 

 They are remarkable for their rapidity of flight, expertness in 

 diving, and carrying off -A great deal of shot. These, as well as 

 the dunbirds, will very often, what is called, duck the flash; that 

 is, pop under water like a dob-chick, and completely escape the 

 shot. If, when shooting at night, you whistle, or make any little 

 noise, before you draw the trigger, they will put up their heads 

 to listen (though they will not fly unless the noise is repeated), 

 and you are then sure to cut a good lane through their ranks. 

 If you see a single curre by day, when he dives you must run ; 

 and the moment he comes up, squat down. So you may go on 

 till within ten yards of him, and then stand ready to shoot him 



