TUE CANVAS-BACK DUOK. 827 
well aware of their winter doings and sufferings, for, in 
truth, from the day of their arrival on the waters of the 
Chesapeake to that of their departure in the spring, they 
have small rest by day or by night, in spite of the exer- 
tions of the shooting-clubs to prevent their disturbance 
by sailing-boats and punts with swivels on the feeding- 
grounds. 
One of their habits is so curious that it merits peculiar 
attention, though it is shared by these birds with several 
other varieties, the Scaups, or Black-Heads, and the 
Read-Heads especially, and sometimes, though rarely, by 
the Widgeon or Bald-Pates; this habit is a strange 
hallucination, or curiosity, which induces them to swim 
directly in from their feeding-grounds, under the very 
muzzle of the concealed gunner’s weapon on the occur- 
rence of any rare or unusual sight, such as an animal at 
play on the beach, or the waving of a red handkerchief 
by day, and a white by night. Advantage is taken of 
this singular propensity to lure them to their doom ; and 
Iam assured by a good sportsman that he has known 
the same flock ¢oled, as it is called, into easy gun-shot 
and decimated each time, thrice successively within 
half an hour. 
The mode of doing this is thus related by Dr. Sharp- 
less, of Philadelphia, who contributed the account to 
Mr. Audubon, for his “Birds of America,” from whom, 
with due acknowledgment, I borrow it, never having 
