WILD-FOWLING IN AMERICA. 375 



has succeeded in toling the birds within range, he is sometimes 

 enabled to start the dog in such a manner as to huddle them 

 together : he then fires into the most crowded part of the flight or 

 paddling, and makes a very effective shot. 



Young ducks are very easily toled. It is of great advantage to 

 the fowler when there are such among others in the paddling : the 

 old ones generally follow them. Sometimes a few only, as a dozen 

 or more, part of a much larger number, may be toled ; but more 

 frequently the whole paddling, be it ever so extensive, swims in at 

 once, and they have been seen to exhibit uncontrollable curiosity by 

 rushing ahead in such an eager manner that those in the rear fly over 

 the heads of the leading birds, as if anxiously endeavouring to get 

 ashore first. Although this is not a usual scene, it is a well 

 authenticated fact. 



In the absence of a dog they may sometimes be toled by simply 

 waving a small red flag or handkerchief, but they seldom approach 

 so near the shore by this stratagem as by that of the dog.* 



It is stated by those who are familiar with this sport, that the 

 canvas-back ducks and pochards are among the easiest captives to 

 the toler ; but the two species appear to have distinct peculiarities : the 

 canvas-back responds to the enticements of the dog with head erect, 

 a wild look, and body sitting buoyantly on the surface. The pochard, 

 on the contrary, appears unconscious of danger, keeps its head low, 

 and body much sunk in the water, f 



Great numbers of wild-fowl are killed in America by this singular 

 stratagem of toling. The time of day best adapted to the sport is, 

 from sun-rise till nine o'clock in the morning, though they may 

 generally be toled at any hour of the day ; and they are sometimes 

 toled on bright moonlight nights : but then a white dog must be 

 used instead of a red one ; or, in absence of a white one, a dog of 



* Mr. Skinner says, of the art of toling, " Ducks act very strangely sometimes. 

 I have seen a dog play without effect at one spot, when, by moving a short distance 

 to another blind, the same ducks would run in to him as fast as they could swim. 

 At other times I have seen them take no notice of a dog, when they would run 

 immediately in to a red silk handkerchief tied to the end of a ramrod, and kept in 

 constant motion on the outside, and in front of your blind." The Dog and Sports- 

 man ; by J. 8. Skinner. 



f It will be remembered that, although the pochard defies the English fowler to 

 capture it in the decoy-pipe, it may be easily enticed along with other fowl to the 

 mouth of the pipe, but it always Jbeats a retreat under water. (Vide ante, chapter 

 14.) The American toler gives it no chance of returning, but greets it with a 

 charge of shot. 



