The Wild-Fowlers 173 



" He jumps like a woodcock when 

 flushed. I 've seen him go right up in 

 the air twenty feet with one bound. All 

 other wild fowl take wing ordinarily; just 

 scurry away over the water any old way." 

 ' Thet be kerrect," contributed old 

 Grieb, broadly grinning with delight at 

 the popular natural history; " an' them 

 blackduck do know a heap site more 'n 

 eny other bird. I thinks they sleep all day 

 an' feeds all night jes' like the night heron 

 (' quock '). They rides in a great mess 

 right out in th' open ocean in th' deep 

 swell jes' beyon' th' breakers with a king 

 drake an' a few ol' coots servin' es senti- 

 nels, an' they come in th' bay an' th' salt 

 ponds an' creeks to feed when th' tide be 

 low at night, an' early in th' mornirj'. 

 They know better 'n teh come in when 

 th' tide serves low in broad daylight. 'T 

 ain't enybody es ken take 'em on th' 

 wing, nuther, when they do be in range." 

 " No, Captain; they are the game of 

 only the most expert fowlers, and are 



