A BIG SHOT AT DUCK 7 



wings, which gave me an extra chance of 

 creeping on them. When I reached the 

 position I wanted, I turned my gun and 

 whistled, when up went their heads* Oh, 

 what a shot ! I pulled, and had the extreme 

 satisfaction of hearing the cap snap. I 

 worked some powder into the nipple, and 

 got on a new cap. Then I ranged my gun 

 again, gave a whistle, so as to make them 

 raise their heads, and give me a better chance, 

 as ducks feeding towards one with their heads 

 down make a bad target, there being so little 

 of the body to shoot at ; but with their necks 

 up, every shot tells. Then when they drew 

 together, suspicious of the whistle, I pulled, 

 and was greeted with a " bang ! " Then for a 

 little I thought I must, like Pat, have put 

 the wrong end of the gun to my shoulder 

 such a recoil as she made. When the smoke 

 cleared away there were eight dead, four 

 with wings broken, and two others out 100 

 yards or more, that had fallen out of the flock 

 as it went over the lake. As soon as I 

 noticed the wounded ones, I kept concealed, 

 and watched where they landed, as it is a 

 peculiar trait of the blue-wing, always to 



