268 DUCK SHOOTING 



before their third year, as very large numbers of 

 both males and females remain behind. These 

 we here call "Moulters," and they remain in the 

 Gulf and River St. Lawrence all summer. 



The favorite Indian method of shooting scoot- 

 ers, is from a blind on a canoe, made either from 

 cotton, or of the branches of the Canada balsam. 

 In the latter case the bow of the canoe is first 

 covered with these thin branches, and bound over 

 strongly with twine. Two small saplings are 

 then cut, an inch or two in diameter and eight 

 feet long. One side is smoothed with an axe to 

 obtain a level surface. It is then placed on the 

 ground, and on this the fine branches are laid, the 

 tops extending on both sides, and the stems rest- 

 ing on the sapling. About two layers all along 

 are required. When this is finished the other 

 sapling is laid over the branches, and the two 

 lashed solidly together with twine. It forms a 

 flat blind of two feet and a half in width. A 

 thin wedge is then inserted in the middle between 

 the two saplings, to act as a short mast to hold 

 the blind in position, the sides of the blind rest- 

 ing on the gunwale of the canoe. A small aper- 

 ture is left in the most convenient place for ob- 

 servation only, the shooting being done over the 

 blind. Such a blind is useful for all kinds of 

 water fowl, and when conducted by a good and 

 experienced canoeman the shyest birds are de- 

 ceived. It can only be used in calm weather or 



