EVENING MALLARD SHOOTING FALL. 167 



If there are ducks beyond the blind on that side, 

 keep on by as far as you think proper, and so 

 continue in this way until you have been over, 

 in parallel lines, all the circle liable to contain 

 your ducks. Very often the ducks will drop 

 into a mat of rice which has been broken down 

 to the surface of the water, in which case, if they 

 go down through it, they are easily overlooked; 

 so be careful in your search, and if you see the 

 tip of a wing or foot sticking up anywhere, satisfy 

 yourself whether there is the rest of the duck 

 fastened to it or not. 



Where the rice is thick, the water not too 

 deep, and the mud tolerably firm, you may get 

 out of your boat, being careful to stand on the 

 roots of the rice at first, and holding an oar near 

 its middle with both hands, about two feet apart, 

 liaise the oar horizontally over your head ; now, 

 bending your body only at the hips, bring the 

 oar down forcibly against the stalks of the rice, 

 thus breaking them to the surface of the water. 

 Raising the oar again, step forward, with the toes 

 turned well outwards, across and upon the pros- 

 trate stalks, and bring down the oar again as be- 

 fore. In this way you break your road be- 

 fore you, and at the same time provide a foun- 



