:& 



564 FOREST, FIELD, AND PRAIRIE. 



Will allow them to go. They soon learn not to throw themselveL 

 down by vain struggles, and when this by chance occurs a little 

 slacking up of the coy line enables them to recover their feet. 

 Where two pairs of geese are to be placed out in the same direc- 

 tion, keep one materially shorter than the other, to avoid tan- 

 gling. The decoy geese may be advantageously accustomed to 

 the restraint of the fetters at home weeks before using on 

 the bar. 



A Screen for Ice- S^ooiz'ng'.— Screens were formerly made of 

 clocks of ice, but experience has proved that the ice is often too 

 transparent when the sun shines brightly, so that the ducks can see 

 the forms of the shooters through it like shadows within. Hence 

 the best plan to be adopted to make a wooden screen and paint it 

 white. It should be made of three pieces of very light board, three 

 feet long by two high, with hinges of leather, so that the contriv- 

 ance can be folded up into a portable package easily carried. Set 

 up this screen on edge at the margin of ice bordering an eddy, and 

 mask it with blocks of float-ice, or cut what blocks are necessary 

 with an axe, and hand them out upon the surface vnth a boat-hook. 

 Set out decoys (dead birds on floats are best_h ^nd let them trail out 

 on the channel of open water, and also place half a dozen half- 

 breed live ducks, tied by the legs, within g^n-shot of your blind ; 

 give them a little com to feed on, and let them strut about and 

 show themselves. Nothing more is to be done but wait for the 

 birds to come, and shoot them as they pitch down to the decoys. 

 If you have a comrade stationed on the opposite side of the river 

 channel below, lying perdue in a white canoe, he will be found very 

 useful in picking up wounded or dead drift-birds. When the fire 

 slackens, move your screen to another place. 



Turkey Calls. — Make a little box of Spanish cedar two and one- 

 half inches long ; three-fourths to seven-eightns deep, and one 

 inch wide. Cut a piece of smooth slate so that it will he nicely in 

 the bottom of the box ; have the top smooth and even, and no 

 rosin w.ill be needed. Make the box of the same material through- 

 out, and put together with brass pins. Brads or glue spoil the 

 sound, not giving sufficient vibration. If made from pieces of 

 cigar box, be sure that no paper remains on the box, and use the 

 thinnest portions. Another call consists of a short piece of Span- 



