328 AMERICAN GAME. 



myself enjoyed the pleasure of observing this singular 

 mode of sporting. 



For this purpose, says the doctor, " a spot is usually 

 selected where the birds have not been much disturbed, 

 and where they feed at from three to four hundred yards 

 from, and can approach to within forty or fifty yards of 

 the shore, as they never will come nearer than they can 

 swim freely. The higher the tides and the calmer the 

 day, the better, for they feed closer to the shores and see 

 more distinctly. Most persons on these waters have a 

 race of small white or liver-colored dogs" other writers 

 say red, and resembling the fox " which they familiarly 

 call the toler breed, but which appear to be the ordinary 

 poodle. These dogs are extremely playful, and are 

 taught to run up and down the shore, in sight of the 

 ducks, either by the motion of the hand, or by throwing 

 chips from side to side. They soon become perfectly 

 acquainted with their business, and as they discover the 

 ducks approaching them, make their jumps less high, till 

 they almost crawl upon the ground to prevent the birds 

 discovering what the object of their curiosity may be. 

 The nearest ducks soon notice this strange appearance, 

 raise their heads, gaze intently for a moment, and then 

 push for the shore, followed by the rest. On many occa- 

 sions I have seen thousands of them swimming in a solid 

 mass direct for the object ; and by removing the dogs 

 farther into the grass, they have been brought to within 

 fifteen feet of the bank. When they have approached 



