D. P. INGRAHAM. 61 
hour to move a hundred yards toward the flock; so that 
when I had 400 yards to make to bring me within shooting 
range, I hada very nice little job before me. Even with all 
that caution, if I succeeded in getting within 150 or 125 
yards of the birds I thought I was doing remarkably well. 
Most of my birds were taken at very long range, and I 
have killed more birds at over 125 yards than at any less 
distance. I used a No. 10 gauge gun, loaded with all the 
powder that would burn inside of the barrel, leaving room 
in my longest shells for only about 14% ounces of No. “F” 
shot, or about 35 pellets to the load. I found that amount 
of powder necessary to give penetration enough at that 
distance. The birds were ordinarily very fat, and I have 
taken from the body after skinning more than a pint of oil. 
I found the birds very loath to fly over the land, and took 
advantage of this circumstance to secure many a shot. 
When I found them occupying some lagoon or bay connected 
by a narrow passage to some other body of water, I would 
take my position on some point of land where the water- 
passage was narrowest, and with two loaded shells in my 
hand and two in my gun, would send my assistant around 
to the opposite side of the flock. When he showed himself 
within a fourth of a mile of them they would take wing, and 
if there were no other opening out of. the lagoon they would 
almost invariably take the course I had anticipated, unless 
the lagoon was too large, when they might alight in some 
other part of it. Ifthe flock took the outside passage and 
came within 100 yards of me I expected to get in my four 
shots and usually kill four birds. 
My first experience among these beautiful birds was in 
the winter of 1884-5, while on a trip down the west coast of 
Florida. My yacht was built expressly for my use in col- 
lecting, being broad and flat-bottomed, large enough to give 
me good accommodations for living and working, and yet to 
draw but little water. We took the inside passage from the 
Island of Malco toward the bay to the south of Cape 
