200 GAME SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 



very wary, and often when shooting mallards 1 

 have had old cock-sprigtails come up against the 

 wind, almost within gun-shot, when they would 

 "jump " back all at once and circle about to, lee- 

 ward of the decoys, and, after coming and going 

 perhaps half & dozen limes, finally drop down just 

 out of reach. I never saw a hunter who did not ex- 

 perience a most happy feeling of satisfaction when 

 he had succeeded in killing such a one. The object 

 of putting the decoys to windward is to take ad- 

 vantage of this habit of circling about to their lee- 

 ward. When in flocks, they generally decoy much 

 better and appear Jess suspicious. 



When wounded, they endeavor to escape by 

 running, if on land, and will frequently hide and 

 crouch motionless to escape observation. They 

 are not very expert divers, and when wounded 

 usually try to remain under water so long as to 

 quickly tire themselves out, when they may be 

 easily captured. In the fall they remain until the 

 ponds are skimmed over with ice, when they 

 take up their departure for the soutl*. No. 5 

 or 6 St. Louis shot is the best size for ordinary 

 sprigtail-shooting. 



