Wild-Fowl of Wild-Fowl 



deal alike. The Surf Scoter, whatever the age or 

 sex, has a large, swollen sort of bill, whereas the 

 bill of the other species is more like that of the 

 Dusky or "Black" Duck. 



Besides the Scoters, the Oldsquaws and Red- 

 breasted Mergansers, or Sheldrakes, are the other 

 two most common species encountered in this line- 

 shooting, though various other Ducks are sometimes 

 obtained. The other kinds, except the Eiders, are 

 more accustomed to fly high, and will not mind 

 decoys on the open sea. The Golden-eyes and 

 Scaups, or "Blue-bills," are usually rather common. 

 They ordinarily fly high and keep away from the 

 boats. The Mergansers, too, like high flights, but 

 often break this rule — to their sorrow. It is a very 

 singular habit of some of these fowl when flying 

 high over a gunner, upon his utterance of a shout 

 or a shrill whistle, suddenly to check their onward 

 flight and pitch or drop almost straight down, thus 

 putting themselves in range of the deadly fusillade. 



I wish I could adequately describe a scene which 

 I witnessed on the old Pilgrim coast at ]VIanomet 

 one 5th of November. Flying gray clouds covered 

 the sky. The wind was northeast, and increasing 

 every hour. A few boats went out early but soon 

 came in, as the seas were becoming dangerous. 

 Low over the frothing ocean flew lines and clouds 

 of wild-fowl, scudding from the north before the 

 blasts. They were in sight all the time. Before 

 one flock had passed southward, several more were 

 to be seen coming, at times six or eight flocks in 

 sight at once. By ten the rain began to beat spite- 

 fully on our faces as we stood on the blufif with 



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