336 FEATHERED GAME 
plied with the mussels and animal food to be 
had in deep water, therefore of necessity they 
are expert swimmers and divers, and though 
apparently slow and heavy in getting under 
way, are strong and swift in flight. 
During the migrations many are killed 
throughout the west, though the Greater Blue- 
bill is as a rule less numerous in the interior 
of the country than is the smaller species. 
When these inland haunts are frozen up they. 
betake themselves to the coast waters where 
the work of destruction goes on until the spring 
opens up their only safe abode under the Arctic 
skies. 
With us of the northeast most of the Blue- 
bills are killed from the ‘‘gunning float,’’ the 
gunner clad in a white suit and the little craft 
itself ‘‘dressed down’’ to the water’s edge with 
snow and ice to represent a floating ice cake. 
It is no wonder that the poor. victims are ‘‘de- 
ludered,’’ for it needs sharp eyes and close at- 
tention to make out anything dangerous in an 
object so harmless in appearance. There is 
commonly little trouble in approaching within 
easy range of a flock if the gunner is skilled in 
handling his craft, but to get within shot reach 
