SEA-DUCK SHOOTING 169 



the sun will not attract the birds. The painting should 

 always have a dull finish. 



Shooting over decoys, with all its hardships, is splen- 

 did sport. When the ducks come in quick succession 

 one does not feel the cold. For my part, as I have said, 

 I prefer the shooting over dogs, but I have had many 

 a good day, both on salt water and fresh, shooting sea- 

 ducks and river-ducks over the decoys. 



The method of shooting ducks from batteries is fa- 

 miliar to those who shot some years ago at Currituck, 

 or later on the Long Island bays. At Currituck it is 

 now unlawful for non-residents to use the battery. Its 

 use is barred absolutely in many other States, but the 

 influence of the market gunners, it is said, has been 

 sufficient to prevent the passage of such legislation in 

 New York. I have had many good days in the bat- 

 teries when I killed many ducks and thoroughly en- 

 joyed the shooting, but I now believe the use of bat- 

 teries should everywhere be prohibited. The battery 

 may be briefly described as a water-tight box, large 

 enough to hold the shooter lying down, with a wide 

 rim which floats on the water. The box is made to 

 sink to the rim by placing weights about its edge. 

 The battery with one hundred or more decoys is car- 

 ried on a sail-boat to the feeding-ground of the ducks, 

 often far out on the open water, and when the sports- 

 man has taken his place in it, the bay-man, who has put 

 out the decoys, sails away to a distance, usually to lee- 

 ward, and picks up the ducks as they are killed and 

 drift toward him.* Any large flocks which may be 



* If it be windy and there is danger of the battery sinking, the attendant 

 will sail to windward in order ^o be able to return quickly. 



