418 tJPLAXD SHOOTIIS^G. 



shone in his handsome face the delight of happy days, 

 recalled in telling me some of the scenes of his early life; 

 for, in imparting what he had seen to me, the pleasant 

 years he passed on the shores of the Chesapeake were 

 once again before him, and I don't know who was the 

 more pleased, he in recalling or I in listening to his fas- 

 cinating stories — descriptions of days long since passed 

 among the canras-backs. I could imagine I was with 

 him in all the sights he described, for I have seen acres 

 and acres of mallards, blue-bills, and other ducks float- 

 ing in dark squares on the bosom of the Mississippi, and 

 have seen the sky, at evening-time, just as it was crimson 

 and purple in the light of the setting sun, filled and 

 flecked with thousands of mallards, as they flew hither 

 and thither, seeking their roosting-grounds, while the air 

 resounded with their "m'amph, m'amph," and "quack, 

 quack, quack," as the birds dropped softly into the 

 marsh. 



In shooting canvas-backs over decoys, great judg- 

 ment must be displayed in placing out the decoys, select- 

 ing the place and building the blind, the desire, at aU 

 times, being to place one's self as near as possible to 

 the place where they habitually feed. 



Cold, blustery days are the best, for on such days 

 they are less suspicious. While they are exceedingly 

 wary, and are blessed with eyes of the keenest percep- 

 tion, yet they are as full of curiosity as a woman, and 

 while at times they Avillnot come in to the decoys with- 

 out much coaxing, at others they rush in with the 

 greatest recklessness. 



There is no duck in which the bump of inquisitive- 

 ness is as fully developed as iu the canvas-back. They 

 seek to know the meaning of every uncertain movement 

 or suspicious object. I have seen them sit with their long 

 necks stretched up, staring with intense curiosity at a 



