256 GAME DEEP-WATER FOWL. 



the left twenty-five yards, from this line narrow- 

 ing gradually to a point about ten yards to the 

 left of a direct line to leeward, and at a distance 

 of thirty-five yards from the sink; from this 

 point, three or four tolers, ten "to fifteen yards 

 apart, to leeward, and inclined towards the direction 

 the ducks mainly approach from or pass by. Near 

 the centre of this triangle, which is the figure 

 the flock now represents, the decoys should be 

 scattered a trifle more than at other places, and 

 the ducks will endeavor to alight there. A 

 few decoys should be fastened to the platform 

 of the sink. 



This arrangement of decoys is the one most suit- 

 able for sink-box shooting. No matter on which 

 side ducks may be, when they observe the decoys 

 they almost invariably approach to alight, against 

 the wind, if it be blowing at all ; and as the de- 

 coys are now placed, they will come in over or 

 very close to the leeward point of the triangle, 

 because in so approaching that point is nearest to 

 them, and they seldom take a roundabout course 

 without a reason for it. More decoys are set to 

 the left of the sink, because it is much easier for 

 the shooter to swing his gun on that side than 

 towards the right, as he might be obliged to do 



