hours. There is sure to be a line of willow trees of some sort or other
near the water's edge, and it is over these the ducks must be made to
fly. Provided that a small clump of low willows, or other cover, is
planted some distance from the rearing field, with the high willow trees
standing between the two, it is quite easy, by occasionally feeding in
this little cover, to accustom the birds to look on it as their
sanctuary, and when liberated from their enforced confinement they will
make straight for it, and over the tops of the intervening trees. All
that has to be done now is to place the guns between the tall willow
trees and the little cover, but well in the open, so that the ducks may
see them and be induced to rise higher in consequence.

A little false cover can now be put along the wire before alluded to at
the edge of the rearing field, to make the birds rise better, and to
prevent the guns from getting any inkling of your plan of operations.

[Illustration: COMING ON A SIDE WIND]

All is now ready, and at a given signal the birds which have been shut
up all night will be liberated in detachments of varied numbers, first
from the dark building, and secondly from the wire enclosure. Thoroughly
frightened with their unaccustomed imprisonment, they take wing at once,
and make the best of their way to the sanctuary, giving the guns most
sporting shots. Should the wind be across their line of flight to the
sanctuary, you will of course have to flag them in, as ducks always rise
up wind, and love to fly against it; nothing they detest so much as
getting their feathers ruffled. It will be found that they always fly
best on a dull stormy day.

The piece of water behind the guns should preferably run at right angles
to the line of flight of the birds from the paddock to their sanctuary,
as after the birds have passed the guns they will split up right and
left, and settle at one end or the other. The guns will next be placed
so as to command the water from bank to bank, one of them being placed,
if necessary, in a boat moored for the purpose in midstream.

The ducks are now driven over the guns again, down wind for choice, and
this can be followed by a return drive, which ends the day's sport.

An hour later some one must search the lake thoroughly for cripples, and
when this has been done the breeding stock and immature birds should be
released.

A modification of this plan may be tried, though I do not recomme