28 WILD FOWL SHOOTING 



toward the far distant North, in flocks of from 20 to 

 100. Their flight is strong and regular, and their 

 speed will average from 60 to 100 miles an hour. 

 While their flight is early, from Southern climes and 

 Southern waters, they are in no great haste to reach 

 their objective point of destination, and they tarry on 

 their journey through the Middle, Western, and Northern 

 States. The approaching spring time, the warm, gentle 

 rains, the bright, melting rays of the midday sun, soften 

 the earth in frozen cornfields, melts the snows and 

 causes torrents of water to swell long inactive streams ; 

 the low lands are submerged ; the tall bottom grass is 

 hidden beneath the fast rising flood ; the water seeks 

 the highest ridges, and then merrily ripples and gur- 

 gles as it flows along. At such places they drop in and 

 rest, and feed before continuing their journey. On the 

 pin oak ridges they best love to tarry, and with water 

 just deep enough to wander over the ridges, half swim- 

 ming, half wading, they flounder along, tipping up 

 their plump bodies, as their glossy heads disappear be- 

 neath the water, searching for the anticipated acorn; or 

 swim in pairs beneath tall trees whose water-covered 

 roots they skim so lightly over. 'Tis in such places 

 that a few weeks later their love-making begins, and 

 the duck after looking with maidenly modesty among 

 the handsome fellows she daily meets in the woods, pic- 

 nicking beneath the forest trees of birch, willow, elm, oak 

 and hickory, or swimming around through thickets of 

 crab-apple trees, she consents to become the bride of 

 one. This consent is published and known by their con- 

 stantly being together, forsaking all others, and cleav- 

 ing one unto the other. Their constancy is marvelous, 

 and it is said that once they have chosen their mate 



