FOWL SHOOTING. 
137 
rapidity and duration of their diving, and the great influence 
that circumstances of wind and weather have on the chances of 
success, it becomes a matter of wonder how so many are 
destroyed. 
“ The usual mode of taking these birds has been, till recently, 
by shooting them from the points during their flight, or from 
the land or boats, on their feeding grounds, or by toling , as it is 
strangely termed, an operation by which the Ducks are sometimes 
induced to approach within a few feet of the shore, from a dis 
tance often of several hundred yards. A spot is usually selected 
where the birds have not been much disturbed, and where they 
feed at from three to four hundred yards from, and can ap¬ 
proach to within forty or fifty yards of the shore, as they will 
never come nearer than they can swim freely. The higher the 
tides, and the calmer the day, the better, for they feed closer to 
the shores and see more distinctly. Most persons on these 
waters have a race of small white or liver-colored dogs, which 
they familiarly call the toler breed, but which appear to be the 
ordinary poodle. These dogs are extremely playful, and are 
taught to run up and down the shore, in sight of the Ducks, 
either by the motion of the hand, or by throwing chips from side 
to side. They soon become perfectly acquainted with their 
business, and as they discover the Ducks approaching them, 
make their jumps less high till they almost crawl upon the 
ground, to prevent the birds discovering what the object of 
their curiosity may be. This disposition to examine rarities has 
been taken advantage of by using a red or black handkerchief 
by day, and a white one by night in toling, or even by gently 
splashing the water on the shore. The nearest ducks soon 
notice the strange appearance, raise their heads, gaze intently 
for a moment, and then push for the shore, followed by the 
rest. On many occasions I have seen thousands of them swim¬ 
ming in a solid mass direct for the object; and by removing the 
dogs farther into the' grass, they have been brought within fif¬ 
teen feet of the bank. When they have approached to within 
thirty or forty yards their curiosity is generally satisfied, and 
