266 



ANIMALS IN MENAGERIES. 



a raking fire, first at those upon the water, and then as 

 they arise. This method is called tolling them in. If 

 the ducks seem difficult to decoy, any glaring object, 

 such as a red handkerchief, is fastened on the dog; and 

 this rarely fails to attract them. Another method is to 

 shoot them by moonlight. For this purpose the sports- 

 man directs his skiff towards a flock whose position he 

 had previously ascertained, keeping within the project- 

 ing shade of some wood, tree, or bank. By proceeding 

 in this manner, and paddling along with the least pos- 

 sible noise, he may frequently get within fifteen or 

 twenty yards of a flock of some thousands, among which 

 prodigious havoc may be made. But this wholesale 

 slaughter of the poor birds, however productive it may 

 be to the gunner for a short time, generally defeats his 

 object in the long run ; for if thus intimidated and de- 

 stroyed in their places of rest, they will very soon aban- 

 don them altogether, and seek a more secure retreat. 



During the day the ducks disperse and float about, 

 diving after their much-loved roots ; but towards even- 

 ing, collecting into large flocks, they assemble at the 

 mouths of creeks, where they sleep, as at anchor, with 

 their heads under their wings : yet there are always sen- 

 tinels awake, ready to give warning on the least appear- 

 ance of danger. Even when feeding and diving in small 

 parties, the whole never go down into the water at once, 

 so that some always remain above to guard the others. 



In severe winters, when the river is frozen, the canvas- 

 backs retreat to its confluence with the bay; but here, 

 again, they fall into the snare of the fowler. In such 

 situations as produce their favourite grass, the gunners 

 make air-holes in the ice, and then concealing themselves 

 at a convenient distance, shoot the birds as they approach 

 these holes to feed. An inhabitant of Herring Creek 

 informed Wilson, that, one severe winter, he and another 

 person broke a hole in the ice about twenty feet by forty, 

 immediately over a shoal of grass, and both then took 

 their station in a temporary hut, each having three guns 

 well loaded with large shot. The ducks, which were 



