
No. 5--A WIDGEON ABOUT TO ALIGHT AMONG THE DECOYS 
camera by the scale instead. Meanwhile 
ducks were heard, and shortly things were 
happening as they never happened before. 
What with getting from the blind to the 
camera to change the film and set the 
shutter for another picture, shooting over 
the crippled ducks and retrieving the dead 
ones, and constantly being compelled to 
scuttle back into the blind to avoid being 
seen by the incoming fowl, it was indeed 
a busy time. No wonder that there were 
times when I forgot to set the shutter, and 
so spoiled two exposures by having them 
on the one film; no wonder that I some- 
times forgot to change the films, with the 
same disastrous result; no wonder that I 
invariably shot before the flying fowl were 
within the field of view of the little camera 
waiting patiently behind me. 
I stayed until eight o’clock, and then 
I changed the dozen exposed films for a 
fresh set, and gathering up my bag and 
my decoys changed my field of operations. 
And ‘it is well I did; for when later those 
first films were developed only one of the 
lot was a good one. This picture is shown 
as No. 1, and as will be seen, the ducks 
were coming in well. Needless to say, no 
attempt was made to make a double with 
the gun, despite the great temptation, 
when that picture was made. 
I had better success in the open, as will 
be seen from the pictures. But there, also, 
I had much better shooting than the camera 
recorded. Many ducks were flying, but 
the flocks would not come in close enough 
to be photographed. Smaller bunches and 
pairs gave better results, decoying well, as 
there was ample open water_in the small 
outlet to attract a few, if not so interesting 
to a large flock. There was snow every- 
where, and as I made use of a bed-sheet for 
my ‘‘hide,” the wary ones came in without 
the least suspicion ; in fact, so well was 
I hidden that once a gadwall drake swam 
ashore and almost walked over my feet 
without seeing me. 
The first picture made here caught me 
just as my pride received a severe jolt. 
This is No. 2, and I missed that pintail 

No. 6—A PINTAIL DRAKE TAKES ALARM AND ‘‘SKIDOOS” 
