30 CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 
them, first on the water, and then as they rise. This method 
is called tolling them in. If the ducks seem difficult to decoy, 
any glaring object, such as a red handkerchief, is fixed round 
the dog’s middle, or to his tail, and this rarely fails to attract 
them. Sometimes, by moonlight, the sportsman directs his 
skiff towards a flock whose position he has previously ascer- 
tained, keeping within the projecting shadow of some wood, 
bank, or headland, and paddles along so silently and impercep- 
tibly, as often to approach within fifteen or twenty yards of a 
flock of many thousands, among whom he generally makes 
creat slaughter. 
Many other stratagems are practised, and, indeed, every 
plan that the ingenuity of the experienced sportsman can sug- 
gest, to approach within gunshot of these birds; but of all the 
modes pursued, none intimidate them so much as shooting 
them by night; and they soon abandon the place where they 
have been thus repeatedly shot at. During the day they are 
dispersed about, but towards evening collect in large flocks, 
and come into the mouths of creeks, where they often ride, as 
at anchor, with their head under their wing asleep, there being 
always sentinels awake, ready to raise an alarm on the least 
appearance of danger. Even when feeding and diving in small 
parties, the whole never go down at one time, but some are 
still left above on the look-out. 
When the winter sets in severely, and the river is frozen, 
the canvas-backs retreat to its confluence with the bay, occa- 
sionally frequenting air-holes in the ice, which are sometimes 
made for the purpose, immediately above their favourite grass, 
to entice them within gunshot of the hut or bush, which is 
usually fixed at a proper distance, and where the gunner lies 
concealed, ready to take advantage of their distress. A Mr 
Hill, who lives near James river, at a place called Herring 
Creek, informs me that, one severe winter, he and another 
person broke a hole in the ice about twenty by forty feet, im- 
mediately over a shoal of grass, and took their stand on the 
shore in a hut of brush, each having three guns well loaded 
