394 FEATHERED GAME 
is solved: a tugboat with a row of trees along 
each gunwale chasing a flock of Coots. This 
method of killing seafowl is wisely forbidden 
by the laws of most of our maritime States. 
‘‘Sailing ducks,’’ as the method mentioned be- 
fore is termed, is also forbidden in many States, 
and properly, too, since it only serves to make 
the birds wild and finally to drive them ‘‘out- 
side’’ entirely because they can get neither 
rest nor food. Slaughter enough can be made 
among) them legitimately and a man should be 
satisfied with what can be done over decoys and 
by ‘‘sculling.’’ 
A few Coots remain on our coast during the 
warm weather, but there is not much evidence 
of their breeding in these latitudes. They are 
probably the crippled and unmated survivors 
of the spring flight, not able or not caring to 
journey farther north. Some may breed here; 
there seems to be no reason why they should 
not, but if they do so at all the number is prob- 
ably very small. The most of them go far away 
toward the land of snow and ice, there to bring 
up in security their six or eight youngsters, 
hardening them by a liberal diet of shell-fish 
