WILDFOWI, SHOOTING. 309 



coming to explore also, you will do well to gather up or 

 conceal. 



When evening comes, take your station at the part 

 nearest the spring which supplies the pond; or other- 

 wise, anywhere to leeward, with a good light, and 

 there remain in ambush, with your largest gun. 



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 vtilljly 

 up. Never fire at random on such occasions. 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, by 



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

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

 curres, in others, duckers ; and, by many, are indiscriminately 

 classed with the dunbirds. Their proper names, however, are scaup 

 duck, tufted duck, gadwall, and golden-eye. 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^y unless 

 the noise is repeated), and you are then sure to cut a good lane 



