DUCK SHOOTING. 237 



"And yet the naturalists class the canvas-back 

 among fuligiddB^ or sea ducks." 



"That arises from some scientific peculiarity, and 

 is not universal. He is certainly a fresh-water duck, 

 and thousands are shot here yearly." 



"I lose a great many crippled birds," said the 

 unlucky man, meditatively ; " I wonder what be- 

 comes of them all ?" 



"Many die, a few recover, some are frozen in 

 when the bay freezes over ; after the first hard frost 

 large numbers can be picked up, but they are so poor 

 as Only to be fit to send to the New York market. 

 Most sportsmen lose many ducks that they should 

 recover ; considerable practice is required to mark 

 well, but the search after a bird should be thorough, 

 and not lightly abandoned. The boat, when pushed 

 into the reeds, must be so placed that it can be easily 

 shoved off, and the pole kept ready for instant use. 

 If, however, a mallard is only wounded, and falls 

 into the weeds, it is useless to go after him. 



"On the other hand, if a canvas-back, but slightly 

 touched, falls in open water, he will be rarely reco- 

 vered ; the one hides in the weeds, the other dives 

 and swims under water prodigiously. The mallard 

 and canvas-back are the types of two classes the 

 former is a marsh duck, the latter an open-water 

 duck. The mallard lives on the pond-lily seeds, and 

 affects the shallow, muddy pond-holes ; the canvas- 

 back seeks the broad channels, and devours the 

 roots of plants ; the one dodges at the flash of the 

 gun or sight of the sportsman, the other moves ma- 



