282 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



again expect to meet with, as we are satisfied that we should 

 have killed, on this occasion, not less than six Swans, and per- 

 haps more; as they were all huddled together in such a manner, 

 when we drew on them, that hardly one could have escaped 

 from the effects of our fire. 



ART OF SHOOTING DUCKS. 



We have now nearly drawn to a close the whole subject of 

 Wild Fowl Shooting ; but little remains to say further, except, 

 perhaps, ^n effort on our part to instruct beginners in the art 

 of shooting Ducks, both on the wing and water. Without 

 some instructions on this head, and a great deal of practice 

 besides, we can assure the most determined Tyro that he would 

 make but a poor show of shooting among the skilful Duckers 

 of the Chesapeake. He might, however, stand an equal chance 

 with the oldest of them, provided he could ever be so fortunate 

 as to meet with Canvass-Backs in the same predicament that a 

 correspondent of the Spirit states that some Punters found a 

 flock of Black and Gray Ducks on the ice of Little Creek, in 

 Canada — that is, too fat to fly, and wanting in energy sufficient 

 to get out of the way when pursued. 



The circumstances of this sporting incident being so very 

 curious and unique, we think it worth while to transfer to our 

 pages the extract of the letter containing the details, leaving it 

 for Naturalists and Sportsmen to explain the phenomenon as 

 they best can. As for ourselves, we do not feel inclined to 

 believe that Ducks could become too fat to fly, in the month of 

 December, in the bleak regions of Canada, and doubt very 

 much whether such an occurrence could be so general under 

 any circumstances, no matter how plenty the most nutritious 

 food mio;ht be. Mi2;ht not the sino-ular conduct of these Fowl 

 be attributed rather to sickness produced by some unnatural 

 cause, or perhaps the eating of some deleterious substance 

 forced upon them by the severity of the weather? However, 

 here is the extract; we give it as we find it: — 



"By the by, talking of cold, I have a most extraordinary cir- 

 cumstance to tell you in the sporting way. Two Punters last 

 week went to the Long Island Marsh, which has been for some 



