THE WILD DUCK 187 



fledged, and only distinguishable from their parent by their smaller 

 size. 



From the rapidity with which young Ducks ' scutter ' along the 

 surface of the water, using both feet and wings, they are called 

 by sportsmen, ' flappers ' ; and from the same habit, no doubt, the 

 children's game of ' Ducks-and-drakes ' was named. The word is 

 one with which I have been familiar, like most other people, from 

 my earliest years, yet I never thought of its etymology until I was 

 passing, a few weeks since, in a steamer down Loch Tarbet. The 

 boat disturbed a party of ' flappers ' which were feeding near the 

 shore, and as they half flew, half paddled away at a rapid rate, the 

 sport and the name suggested themselves to my mind together. 

 It is mostly absent from the northern districts of Scotland in winter. 



In marshy districts, both in England and Scotland, these birds 

 remain aU the year round ; but their numbers are greatly augmented 

 in winter by the arrival of large flocks from the north. These 

 fly mostly by night, in long lines, and proceed to the fens and salt 

 marshes, where they feed until daylight. They then put out to 

 sea, and rest, floating on the water, until dusk ; and it is while they 

 are on their way to and from these feeding-grounds that the sea- 

 side gunners do the greatest execution among them. They fly 

 mostly in small parties, and utter no note ; but if after dusk a 

 shot be fired in the vicinity of a marsh or of a piece of reclaimed 

 land intersected by ditches, it is followed by a concert of ' quacks ' 

 from all sides, which proves that however small the parties may 

 have been, the number of Ducks collectively must be very great. 



In the neighbourhood of the salt marshes in the eastern counties, 

 one may meet, in severe winter weather, just before dusk, little 

 knots of men setting out on ducking expeditions. Each is furnished 

 with a spade, a bag of straw, and a gun. Experience has taught 

 these men that the line of flight usually taken by the birds is along a 

 narrow creek or arm of the sea, which has on either side a high 

 muddy bank. For such a point the gunners are making. The use of 

 the spade is to dig a hole for concealment in the mud, and the straw 

 is intended to furnish a dry seat. It must be a wearisome occupation 

 to sit here hour after hour, with nothing to do but to hope that birds 

 are coming ; and when they come matters are not much mended ; 

 for if the shot be successful it will never do to leave the hiding- 

 place in order to pick up the booty, or another chance may be 

 missed. Three or four hours are thus spent, and on moonlight 

 nights a longer time. The slain birds are then collected, a few 

 hours are given to rest, and in the morning twilight the same 

 ■scene is re-enacted. 



When it is desired to construct a decoy,^ a quiet, shallow pond 



I Decoy, a corruption of Duck-coy, from the Dutch hooi, a cage or pen. 

 See Ray and Willughhy's Ornithology, p. 286, where, mention being made of 

 a method of capturing wild-fowl which had been introduced into England 



