206 MALLARD. 



pieces of sheep's lights, which, floating on the surface, are swallowed by the Ducks, and 

 with them the hooks. They are also approached under cover of a stalking horse, or a 

 figure formed of thin boards, or other proper materials, and painted so as to represent 

 a horse or ox." 



Mr. C. St. John, from whose admirable writings we have on several occasions quoted, 

 has thus described his method of shooting Mallards in Sutherlandshire : — "Just before 

 sunset I take up my position in the midst of two or three furze bushes, within easy 

 shot of where a small stream runs into one of the lakes, keeping the water constantly 

 open. Having given my retriever a biscuit, which I always carry for him on these 

 cold days, I light my pipe, (the great comfort of the patient Wildfowl shooter,) and 

 look out towards the bay for the Mallards. The bay is nearly half a mile off, but I 

 can see the Ducks between me and the sky, almost as soon as they leave it. At first 

 a solitary pair or two come, quietly and swiftly, probably making their way to some 

 favourite spring farther inland. However, with the help of a cartridge, I bring down 

 a brace from a great height, as they pass over; sometimes tumbling on the ice of the 

 loch behind me, they are nearly split in two; sometimes, when winged, they fall in the 

 rushy stream, and give the retriever no small trouble and cold before he gets them; 

 however, he always succeeds, and having brought the bird, and received his reward of 

 ship-biscuit, he lies down again, but with eyes and ears all intent on what is going on. 

 The Sea-Gull, or Heron, may pass, and he takes no notice of them; but the moment 

 that a Wild Duck's quack, or the whistle of his wings is heard, the dog's ears erect 

 themselves, and he watches my face with a look of most inquiring eagerness. I hear 

 the Wild Swan 'trumpeting' on the sea, but know that they are not very likely to come 

 where I am placed. Presently, however, a brace of Teal pitch suddenly and unexpectedly 

 within a few yards of me, having flitted in from behind. I kill the drake, but cannot 

 get a shot at the duck, as she flies low, and the smoke hanging heavily in the calm 

 evening, prevents my seeing her. However, all at once the Mallards begin to fly from 

 the sea; for half an hour or less I have to load and fire as fast as I can, as they fly 

 over. 



I prefer shooting them on the wing, for if I let them pitch in the water, my dog 

 has to swim every time I kill one, and gets half-dead with ice and frozen snow. The 

 Mallards generally fly in from the sea rapidly, and at no great height; but it requires 

 some practice to kill them, as their flight is much quicker than it appears, and they 

 require a hard blow to kill them dead. If wounded only they fly off, and dropping at 

 some distance, I can seldom get them that night, owing to the approaching darkness. 

 Sometimes my retriever marks the direction of a wounded Duck, and gets it; but 

 generally they are lost, and serve only to feed the foxes, who seem to hunt for maimed 

 birds regularly round the lakes." 



