PRESERVING AND LURING THE DUCK 105 



and that under no excuse shall a retriever be allowed 

 at large till the drive is completely over. It is desir- 

 able to have competent markers judiciously stationed. 

 Hard-hit duck often carry on a long way before they 

 drop. If there are two ponds, one should be shot at 

 the beginning of the day and the other towards the 

 close ; if there are three, take one in the morning and 

 the others in the afternoon ; if there are four or more, 

 shoot in the morning those of them on which no birds 

 disturbed from other ponds have settled (a fact to be 

 made known by properly stationed watchers), and the 

 remainder later in the day. When duck which have 

 been shot at light on a pond occupied by other duck, 

 the uneasiness of the former is immediately imparted 

 to the latter. Hence, if the pond be shot shortly 

 afterwards it is probable that all the birds will be 

 found bunched, and will rise simultaneously ; and, 

 following the lead of the twice-sprung birds, they are 

 likely to make a long flight and settle somewhere far 

 out of bounds, perhaps for the day. On the other 

 hand, if ponds whereon duck have lighted in the 

 morning be not shot till the afternoon the birds will 

 be found broken up, and when again sprung will drop 

 into water near at hand. 



Let it be remarked that if the ponds are shot at 

 too short intervals a proportion of the birds, perhaps 



