1890
March 13
Banana Creek, Florida
 Clear and warm. Wind E. to S. E.
  Started off by boat this morning at 8 a.m.
going directly to the point where I shot on 
the 11th. Cory was to follow with Quarterman
by way of the creeks. I put out my decoys
quickly and in less than an hour used a
box (25) of shells with only one Duck to show for
them although I shot down two others which
dove and escaped. At first I attributed it to
a change of guns for I used my 12 g. Fox to-day
for the first time on this trip; but when I
opened the second box of shells I began to do
better. Still I lost many birds which I ought
to have killed. I shot both barrels at a fine
[symbol?] Bald-pate and supposed I had lost him
for he flew nearly out of sight but later we
found him floating dead under a mangrove
in shore. I also hit a Florida Dusky duck very
hard but he kept on.
  At about noon I changed my stand and
took a position on a point about 1/4 mile
to the westward. Here I had some fine
sport during the afternoon. The birds 
were mostly Scaups with a few Ring-necks
and now and then a Shoveler. There
were also several little bunches of Ruddy
Ducks, the males with white cheeks but
with little or no red in the plumage. They
decoyed fairly well but seemed as shy 
as most of the Ducks here. I made a 
clean double shot at a pair that came
over the stools and also killed two Scaups