THE CAKVAS-BACK DUCK. 



327 



well aware of their winter doings and sufferings, for, in 

 truth, from the day of their arrival on the waters of the 

 Chesapeake to that of their departure in the spring, they 

 have small rest by day or by night, in spite of the exer- 

 tions of the shooting-clubs to prevent their disturbance 

 by sailing-boats and punts with swivels on the feeding- 

 grounds. 



One of their habits is so curious that it merits peculiar 

 attention, though it is shared by these birds with several 

 other varieties, the Scaups, or Black-Heads, and the 

 Read-Heads especially, and sometimes, though rarely, by 

 the Widgeon or Bald-Pates; this habit is a strange 

 hallucination, or curiosity, which induces them to swim 

 directly in from their feeding-grounds, under the very 

 muzzle of the concealed gunner's weapon on. the occur- 

 rence of any rare or unusual sight, such as an animal at 

 play on the beach, or the waving of a red handkerchief 

 by day, and a white by night. Advantage is taken of 

 this singular propensity to lure them to their doom ; and 

 I am assured by a good sportsman that he has known 

 the same nock toled, as it is called, into easy gun-shot 

 and decimated each time, thrice successively within 

 half an hour. 



The mode of doing this is thus related by Dr. Sharp- 

 less, of Philadelphia, who contributed the account to 

 Mr. Audubon, for his " Birds of America," from whom, 

 with due acknowledgment, I borrow it, never having 



