14 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Any bird that comes within fifty yards is shot at if seen in 

 time, but birds that alight among the stools are not shot at 

 until they swim clear or take flight again, as there is danger of 

 damaging the stools. The ducks come very differently to the 

 decoys; the marsh ducks generally come high up and swing 

 around two or three times before they set their wings and drop 

 down, and when shot at every duck darts upward and away, 

 each one looking out for himself. Occasionally one will come 

 in low and drop in among the stools without any hesitation. 

 The diving ducks usually come low over the water well outside 

 of the stools and go down the wind at great speed as if they 

 were going away, but round up quickly, head to the wind, and 

 throwing their legs out in front of them back their wings and 

 drop in with a splash, or wheel away, turning up their bellies 

 as they do so. Their speed is very great, and the gunner must 

 be quick to rise and discharge both barrels before they are out 

 of range. Brant come to the stools much more slowly, wander- 

 ing back and forth several times, looking all black as their 

 heads are toward you, and then as they turn away showing 

 their white flanks. As they wheel just over the stools or up to 

 windward of them they generally bunch, and at this moment 

 several may be shot at once. Brant are great birds to carry 

 shot, and a wounded bird will often fly away a long distance 

 with the flock before it drops. It can be easily secured, how- 

 ever, as they are poor divers. They are suspicious of points or 

 land of any kind except sandbars, and flocks do not often come 

 in within range, though pairs and single birds often approach 

 the stools without hesitation. Shelldrakes will come from over 

 the water or meadows from any direction, high or low, and will 

 often pass within a few feet of the gunner's head. 



Up to 1890 the bulk of the ducks killed on the New Jersey 

 coast were shot by " Baymen," who made their principal living 

 from the natural resources of the region. They owned cat- 

 boats or small sloops, and took out sailing and fishing parties 

 from the various resorts during the summer. Then they put 

 cabins on their craft and went out on the bays for a living. 

 They spent the time fishing, gathering oysters and clams, 

 spearing eels, and gunning, living ail the time on their boats, 



