293 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN, 



Mallards are easily brought within gunshot by means of 

 Decoys, used in the way already described under the head of 

 Canvass-Backs. They are numerous at times on the Delaware, 

 and numbers are killed by Shooters hiding themselves in boats 

 and the reeds within range of their Stool-Buchs, which are set 

 out on the edge of the reeds. They are very fond of the seeds 

 of the wild oats that flourish so profusely on the flats of the 

 Delaware, and their flesh soon becomes delicate and juicy. 



In Eno-land and on the Continent many singular contrivances 

 have been invented to entrap these Birds, and so successful are 

 the Fowlers now in this lucrative business that many hundreds 

 are often taken at one draw of the net. 



The most destructive way of trapping Mallards is the plan 

 adopted on the Decoy ponds of England and France, a full ac- 

 count of which may be found in Bewick's British Birds. 



ANAS MARILLA. SCAUP DUCK, OR BLACK-HEAD. 



This species is much better known as the Black-IIead, or 

 Blue-Bill; in fact, the term Scavp is never applied to it by 

 Sportsmen, and few, if any, of our Coast Shooters would be 

 able to distinguish these Fowl by this name. The Black-Head 

 is widely disseminated over our country; and a Duck very 

 similar both in its habits and plumage, though a trifle larger, is 

 well known in England and throughout the Continent. It is 

 abundant during the Autumn on most of our rivers, and great 

 numbers resort to the Chesapeake to feed on the Valisineria 

 and other aquatic herbs of this region of abundance. When 

 killed on these waters in the early part of the season, they are 

 very fat, and their flesh tender and juicy, and entirely free from 

 the fishy taste they are apt to acquire in other localities. They 

 feed principally at night, and are said to be very partial to a 

 small shell-fish called Scaiq)^ from whence they derive their 

 name. We have shot them very frequently in company Avith 

 Canvass-Backs, and under such circumstances always found 

 them excellent eating ; they should be split open in the back 

 and broiled, with a particle of butter for dressing. 



