^3S ANI3IALS IN MENAGERIES. 



generally known^ and is as follows : — '^'^ In such pieces 

 of water as are frequented by these birds, five or six 

 wooden figures, cut and painted so as to resemble real 

 ducks, and sunk, by pieces of lead nailed on their 

 bottoms, so as to float at the usual depth on the surface, 

 are anchored in a favourable position for the gunner, 

 who lies in concealment on shore : the appearance of 

 these usually attracts passing flocks, which alight, and 

 are shot dov»'n. Sometimes eight or ten of these painted 

 wooden ducks are fixed on a frame, in various swimming 

 positions, and secured to the bow of the gunner's skiff, 

 projecting before it in such a manner that the weight 

 of the frame sinks the figures to their proper depth ; the 

 skiff is then dressed with sedge or coarse grass, in an 

 artful manner, as low as the water's edge ; and under 

 cover of this, which appears like a party of ducks 

 swimming by a small island, the gunner may float down 

 to the very skirts of a large flock, and pour in a de- 

 structive and repeated fire among them. In winter, 

 when detached pieces of ice are occasionally floating in 

 the rivers, some of the gunners on the Delaware paint 

 their whole skiff or canoe white ; and laying themselves 

 flat at the bottom, with their hand over the side, silently 

 managing a small paddle, direct it imperceptibly among 

 or close to a whole flock, before the birds have distin- 

 guished it from a floating mass of ice ; and by this 

 artifice the gunners generally make great havoc among 

 them : indeed, a whole flock, in this manner, have been 

 suddenly surprised when asleep, with their heads under 

 their wings. On land, another stratagem is sometimes 

 practised with great success : a large tight hogshead is 

 sunk in the flat marsh, or mud, near the place were 

 ducks are accustomed to feed at low water, and where 

 otherwise there is no shelter ; the edges and tops are 

 artfully concealed with tufts of long coarse grass and 

 reeds or sedges ; from within this, the gunner, unseen 

 and unsuspected, watches his collecting prey, and, when 

 a sufficient number offers, sweeps them down with great 

 effect." 



