296 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



of themselves, and will fly away in the evening to feed 

 on the corn. If the keeper blows a horn when he feeds 

 them, they will get into the habit of returning to their 

 old feeding-ground when they hear the sound, and this 

 custom may be of use later on, when the horn will 

 summon them to sterner realities than those of their 

 morning meal. 



It is about sunset that some of the best sport with 

 these birds may be obtained. The wild duck will 

 congregate at dusk in some pond, and if the right place 

 be found, the air will be thick with them flying to and 

 fro for about twenty minutes. This period of flighting, 

 as it is called, rarely lasts for more than half an hour. 

 The best way to find out the haunts of the duck at 

 night is to walk round the leeward side of the ponds 

 by day, and observe if there are any feathers lying on 

 the edges. A field of stubble in flood is a certain place 

 for the duck to feed in. As wild duck always settle in 

 the water against the wind, it is generally found best 

 to stand with one's back to it, as a good shot is then 

 afforded as the bird comes down to alight. Excellent 

 sport may also be obtained in the same way at dawn. 

 The duck all fly back to the lake or water where they 

 live, from the fields or marshes where they have spent 

 the night in feeding. It is necessary, therefore, to find 

 a spot where they all cross over, to select a good place 

 behind a stump or some other natural cover, and to be 

 there about twenty minutes before sunrise ; they will 

 fly over the ambushed enemy in twos and threes, and 



