CANVASS-BACK. 277 



Stiffens tliern to such an extent that thej often can barely walk 

 or swirn/" 



When the weather is very calm and the surface of the waters 

 remain unrufQed by a breeze, although the Ducks may be flying, 

 they will not dart to Decoys, more especially off points, as readily 

 as if they had a certain degree of motion imparted to them by 

 the gentle ripple of the waters. 



For when perfectly still the Decoys, no matter how well made 

 or proportioned, lose that life-like ajipearance which they present 

 when hohhing up and down as if in the very act of feeding; and, 

 consequently, are wanting in their chief attraction for the Ducks 

 that may be on the Aving in quest of more secure and fruitful 

 feeding-places. 



We have before us a late number of the Spirit of the Times^ 

 which contains a very excellent article on Duck-shooting, 

 wherein is described a very ingenious plan adopted by the 

 writer for imparting this particular motion to the decoys on a 

 still da}' ; and as the expedient is quite novel as well as practi- 

 cable, we shall transfer the description of it in the words of the 

 author to these pages, feeling sure that it may prove serviceable 

 to some of our sporting friends under like circumstances. 



" Ducks not decoying well on calm days, of which we had 

 quite a number in December, we hit upon a somewhat novel 

 expedient to attract their attention to our Decoys. A dozen 

 stakes of about two feet in length were firmly driven into the 

 soft bed of the river, at a distance of some forty yards from the 

 hlind, so that at low water their upper ends were quite a foot 

 beneath the surface ; through the tops of these stakes, on which 

 we had bored holes of an inch in diameter, having rings of 

 stout iron wire inserted in them to prevent chafing, were passed 

 strings of the proper length, one of the ends of which were car- 

 ried into the blind, while the others were attached to the necks 

 of the Decoy Ducks. These latter were anchored by heavy 

 anchors at such a distance from the stakes that, when pulled 

 upon b}' the strings, the anchors remaining firm, they were sud- 



* Decoys made of solid blocks of wood are preferable to those made hollow ; 

 they are less expensive and not so easily injured by the shot, and also require far 

 less gentle handling. From fifty to one hundred arc necessary for point-shooting, 

 tlie more the bettor. 



