214 GAME SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 



such a judgment might be formed, as the habits 

 of wild fowl often vary in different localities. In 

 the more northern States I have seldom seen 

 gray ducks assembled more than four or five to- 

 gether, but consider this as being due to their 

 general scarcity ; for in Tennessee and Southern 

 Missouri, the former State more especially, I have 

 found them associated in flocks of thousands upon 

 their feeding-grounds, more numerous than all 

 other ducks, and, like mallards, separated into 

 smaller flocks of various numbers when flying 

 from one feeding-ground to another. As to their 

 habits of diving, though having hunted them one 

 season for three, months steadily in preference to 

 all others, on account of their greater numbers, I 

 have never yet seen one dive either for the pur- 

 pose of feeding or to escape being shot, unless 

 having been previously wounded, when they be- 

 come exceedingly cunning, and are then as expert 

 as the widgeon or mallard in diving. It is a 

 favorite trick with them to seize the roots of 

 the weeds when wounded and under water,' and 

 cling to them, if possible, until the hunter has 

 passed on. They decoy exceedingly well to mal- 

 lard decoys, and come readily to the mallard call, 

 which resembles their own very closely. 



