THE DUSKY DUCKS 223 



And then the bayman came with a heavy bunch of 

 ducks which he had shot. It was getting late. We 

 sailed away. 



Night shooting is now prohibited by law in many 

 States, as it should be. The temptation, however, is 

 great, I must admit, to shoot at these birds after dark, 

 when they fly away early in the morning, arising out 

 of range, and do not return until after sundown. Mr. 

 Tallett, however. President of the Jefferson County 

 (N. Y.) Sportsman's Association, referring to the fact 

 that some sportsmen still contend that night is the 

 proper time to shoot black-ducks, asserting that they 

 are night feeders and can only be shot successfully at 

 that time, says : " My experience has been that in no 

 way can the black-duck be driven from a favorite feed- 

 ing-place quicker than by night shooting, and I believe 

 that if night shooting were allowed in this county a 

 large part of the birds we now have would be driven 

 away." Mr. Tallett further says: " Upon the stopping 

 of the spring shooting in this county the black-ducks 

 remained to breed, and those sportsmen who know the 

 habits of the black-duck and its extreme wariness can 

 judge of the number we have when I say that during 

 the first week over one hundred and fifty black-ducks 

 were killed, and all were killed in broad daylight, as 

 the shooting after sunset is prohibited in this county." 



Mr. Tallett, referring to spring shooting, says : 

 " This letter is not written for the purpose of induc- 

 ing the rest of the State to stop the spring shooting 

 of wild-fowl. It is a matter of indifference to us. If 

 you do not want the birds, drive them up here. We 

 know a good thing when we have it." 



