THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 103 
“On the first arrival of these birds in the Susquehanna, near Havre de 
Grace, they are generally lean; but such is the abundance of their favorite 
food, that, towards the beginning of November, they are in pretty good 
order. They are excellent divers, and swim with great speed and agility. 
‘ 
They sometimes assemble in such multitudes as to cover several acres of the 
river, and, when they rise suddenly, produce a noise resembling thunder. 
They float about these shoals, diving and tearing up the grass by the roots, 
which is the only part they eat. They are extremely shy, and can rarely be 
approached, unless by stratagem. When wounded in the wing, they dive 
to such prodigious distances, and with such rapidity, continuing it so perse- 
ror, as almost always to render 
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veringly, and with such cunning and active vi 
the pursuit hopeless. From the great demand for these ducks, and the high 
price they uniformly bring in market, various modes are practised to get 
within gunshot of them. The most successful way is said to be by decoying 
them to the shore by means of a dog, while the gunner lies closely concealed 
in a proper situation. The dog, if properly trained, plays backwards and 
forwards along the margin of the water; and the ducks, observing his 
manceuvres, enticed perhaps by curiosity, gradually approach the shore, until 
they are sometimes within twenty or thirty yards of the spot where the gun- 
ner lies concealed, and from which he rakes them, first on the water, and 
then as they rise. This method is called tolling them in. If the ducks 
seem difficult to decoy, any glaring object, such as a red handkerchief, is 
fixed round the dog’s middle or to his tail; and this rarely fails to attract 
them. Sometimes, by moonlight, the sportsman directs his skiff towards 
a flock, whose position he had’ previously ascertained, keeping within the 
projecting shadow of some wood, bank, or headland, and paddles along so 
silently and imperceptibly as often to approach within fifteen or twenty yards 
generally makes great 
of a flock of many thousands, among whom he g 
slaughter. 
“Many other stratagems are practised, and, indeed, every plan that the 
ingenuity of the experienced sportsman can suggest, to approach within 
gunshot of these birds; but, of all the modes pursued, none intimidate them 
so much as shooting them by night; and they soon abandon the place where 
they have been thus repeatedly shot at. During the day they are dispersed 
about, but towards evening, collect in large flocks, and come into the mouths 
of creeks, where they often ride, as at anchor, with their head under their 
wing, asleep, there being always sentinels awake, ready to raise an alarm on 
the least appearance of danger. Even when feeding and diving in small 
parties, the whole never go down at one time, but some are still left above 
on the lookout. 
“When the winter sets in severely, and the river is frozen, the Canyas- 
