136 With Rod and Gun in Nezv England 



" The sportsman, watching the approaching flock, holds one of the 

 other decoys ready to throw ; and, as soon as the wild ones approach, he 

 tosses up and towards the anchored duck the one held in his hand, which 

 is secured from flying off by a strong line fastened to its legs. The bird, 

 moored in the water, seeing her mate flying towards her, immediately 

 redoubles her cries, when the dusky ducks, after flying back and forth, 

 alight beside her. As soon as they alight they gather in a bunch away 

 from the decoy, and it is then that the sportsman pours in his first shot ; 

 he again fires when the ducks are rising from the water, and is often able 

 to get four shots at a flock, before it escapes out of gunshot. I have 

 passed many days in stands of this description, and have had my share of 

 what is generally capital sport. It is, as a rule, only early in the morning 

 and late in the afternoon that these ducks can be shot in this manner, 

 and if they are much hunted, they approach the stands with great caution. 

 I have had, in addition to black ducks, both kinds of teal, summer ducks, 

 and whistlers, even coots, come to my decoys." 



The dusky duck remains with us through nearly the whole year, and 

 moves southward only in very severe winters. When the fresh ponds are 

 not frozen it prefers them to the salt water ; but in the winter it is most 

 abundant in our bays and small creeks, where it feeds on small shell-fish, 

 and other marine animals. In autumn it is one of the best flavored of our 

 water fowl, but in winter it is not so acceptable, having much of the fishy 

 taste of the sea ducks. 



At this season considerable numbers are shot at dusk and on moon- 

 light nights on the marshes, as they fly back and forth in search of food. 



I have never found these ducks in such abundance elsewhere as on 

 the shores of the Bay Chaleur. Thousands of them, in a flock, have I put 

 up at a discharge of my gun, the air seeming filled with them, and with 

 wild geese and brant. The southern shore of the bay, from Dalhousie to 

 above Campbellton, and the north shore, from opposite the last-named 

 place almost to Gaspe, are favorite feeding-places of these fowl. 



" Lots of black cluck here in the fall," said Francois. 



" Yes, and other kinds, too," I added. 



"Yes," he replied, "good many, sometimes." 



" I suppose there are other ducks that breed in our latitude," said the 

 Doctor, as he cast his flies across the mouth of the brook. 



" Oh, yes," I replied, " the mallard, summer, or wood duck, golden 

 eye, or whistler, the mergansers, and sheldrake, all breed in the United 

 States, and in the Provinces." 



" The mallard hardly counts with us in the East, does it " ? asked the 

 Doctor. 



" It is with us occasionally, but not in any numbers. It is sometimes 



