44 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
to the points in flying, although, if the Canvass back has 
determined on his direction, few circumstances will change 
his course. The total absence of cover or precaution 
against exposure to sight, or even a large fire, will not turn 
these birds aside on such occasions. 
In flying shooting, the Bald pate is a great nuisance, for 
they are so shy, that they not only avoid the points them- 
selves, but by their whistling and confusion of flight at such 
times, alarm others; and few days occur during the season, 
without many maledictions on their very existence. 
As simple as it may appear, to shoot with success into a 
solid mass of Ducks sitting on the water at forty or fifty 
yards distance, yet when you recollect, that you are placed 
nearly level with the water, the object opposed to the 
visual line, even though composed of hundreds, may be in 
appearance but a foot or two in width. To give, therefore, 
the best promise of success, old duckers recommend that 
the nearest Duck should be in perfect relief above the 
sight, whatever the size of the column, to avoid the com- 
mon result of over-shooting. The correctness of this prin- 
ciple was illustrated to the writer, in an instance in which 
he had toled to within a space between forty and seventy 
yards of the shore, a bed of certainly hundreds of Ducks. 
Twenty yards beyond the outside birds of the solid mass, 
were five Black heads, one of which was alone killed out of 
the whole number, by a deliberate aim into the middle of the 
large flock from a rest, by a heavy, well proved Duck gun. 
Before I leave the subject of sitting shooting, I will 
mention an occurrence that took place on Bush river, a 
few years since. A man whose house was situated near 
the bank, on rising early one morning, observed the river 
had frozen except an open space of ten or twelve feet in 
diameter, at about eighty yards from the shore nearly op- 
posite his house. The spot was full of Ducks, and with a 
heavy gun he fired into it; many were killed, and those 
that flew soon returned, and were again and again shot at, 
till fearful he was injuring those already his own, he 
ceased the massacre, and brought on shore ninety-two 
Ducks, most of which were Canvass backs.. 
The writer, three years since, had the use of a dog of 
the above species who had never, from his extreme youth, 
been taught, and the fourth or fifth attempt that was made at 
toling, as the Ducks neared him, he retired into the grass, 
stooped, and when he supposed they were within shot, im- 
mediately ceased his play, and at the sound of the click in 
cocking, laid flat down that he might be out of danger. 
This manoeuvre was observed frequently afterwards, and 
when he supposed the Ducks sufficiently near, no induce- 
ments could make him play. 
To prevent them running in, whilst toling , these dogs 
are not allowed to go into the water to bring out the 
Ducks, but another breed of large dogs of the Newfound- 
land and water spaniel mixture are employed. These ani- 
mals, whilst toling is in progression, or at a point, take ap- 
parently as much interest in success, as the sportsman him- 
self. During a flight, their eyes are incessantly occupied 
in watching the direction from whence the birds come, and 
I have frequently seen them indicate by their manner, the 
approach of a flock so distant, that the human eye would 
have overlooked it. As the Ducks come on, the dog lays 
down, but still closely observing them, and the moment 
the discharge occurs, jumps up to see the effect. If a Duck 
falls dead, they plunge in to bring it; but many of them 
wait to see how he falls, and whether he swims, and they 
seem to be as aware as the gunner, of the improbability 
of capture, and will not make the attempt, knowing, from 
experience, that a bird merely winged will generally save 
himself by swimming and diving. These dogs usually 
bring one Duck at a time out of the water; but a real New- 
foundland, who was with the author and his company this 
autumn, was seen on several occasions to swim twenty 
yards further, and take a second in the mouth to carry on 
shore. The indefatigability and ambition of these animals 
is remarkable, and a gentleman informed the author he 
had known his dog bring, in the space of one hour, twenty 
Canvass backs and three Swans from the water, when the 
weather was so severe that the animal was covered with 
icicles, and to prevent him freezing, he took his own great 
coat to envelop the dog during the time. Some dogs will 
dive a considerable distance after a Duck, but a crippled 
Canvass back, or Black head, will swim so far under the 
water, that they can rarely be caught by the dog ; and it often 
has been observed, that the moment one of these Ducks, 
if merely winged, reaches the surface, he passes under, and 
however calm, cannot be seen again. To give an idea of 
the extreme rapidity with which a Duck can dive, I will 
relate an occurrence which was noticed by myself, and a 
similar one took place to another of the party the same 
day. A male South southerly was shot at in the water by 
a percussion gun, and after escaping the shot by diving, 
commenced his flight, and when about forty yards from the 
boat, he had acquired an elevation of a foot or more from 
the surface. A second percussion gun was discharged, and 
he dived from the wing at the flash, and though the spot of 
entrance was covered by the shot, he soon arose unharmed 
and flew. 
Canvass backs when wounded, on the streams near the 
bay, instantly direct their course for it, where they nestle 
among the grass on the shores till cured, or destroyed by 
eagles, hawks, gulls, foxes, or other vermin that are con- 
stantly on the search; and if a dead Canvass back be not 
soon secured, he becomes a prey to the gulls, who rarely 
