The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-10-31


Impossible to distinguish them. These
things could see with my naked eyes.
but with my field glass could see
something more. Out from the end OF a
point OF land were some little black
dots, which might have been stones
in the water but for the fact that stone
would not move about as these dots did.
! They were black ducks. which had
dropped into the lake the night before
to remain for time ere they continued
their journey to the southwark. made
wide detour. keeping well under cover
as wished to see these birds at closer
range. Following a belt Of woodland
which skirted the shore of the lake,
came within a quarter of mile of the
ducks without being seen. There were
far more of them than had supposed,
between three and four hundred, as
near as I could count, but only a few
We're insthe water. The rest were on
/ the shore, sitting about in different at
titudes, preening their plumage or dab
bling in the mud and among the stones.
but some of them discovered me, I
think. for the whole flock suddenly
made for the water, and started to
swim away. But as though the speed
they made was not fast enough to suit
them. they took to the wing, and
wheeled around to the other side of the
point where they dropped into the lake
again. Between us was the rounded
back of a grassy promontory, and
across this went, hidden by the rising
ground. But soon the top was reached,
and again I came in sight of the wild
ducks. which turned to swim away.
That I might see them nearer, if only
for moment, ran forward toward the
shore with all my might. The ducks
did not rise at once, but when they
found me gaining on them they sprang
from the water, at first a few, but
followed rapidly by the rest, a dark
cloud filled with whistling wings and
scattering sunshower of heavy drops
from their wet and shining feet. They
were not greatly alarmed and after a
short flight they splashed into the lake
again. and became strung out across
the water, where with the naked eye
they might easily be mistaken for the
shadow. sides of wavelets. But the
ducks were not the only birds which I
had alarmed. for the gulls upon the
rock had arisen, half thousand strong,
whirling and turning in the air like the
fakes of Brobdinagian snow storm.
And presently they came down to the
water, but not with a splash, as the
ducks had done: they settled lightly,
and paused for Just moment with
their shining pinions pointed to the sky,
like the mafnsails of miniature yachts;
and then the sails were furled. and the
white feet, rising high upon the water,
was apparently at anchor. A year ago.
at dusk, 1 was watching flock of gulls
floating far out in that same lake,
when was interested to see one soli-
tary bird much nearer the shore than
his Fellows. As 7 watched. saw that
he was floating slowly toward the shore,
and marking the spot where he would
probably come in, / went there and
waited. Presently. he came within
reach and grasped him. He scarcely
struggled, though he struck at me
feebly with his bill. and before had
time to decide what was the matter
with him, he died In my arms. Then I
found that he had been shot, not by a
sportsman. for sportsmen don't shoot
gulls, but BY some butcher who had
wounded the 5beautiful creature as it
fioated on the water. This knew be-
cause OF certain shot holes through the
primary feathers, which must have
been made while the wings were at
4 rest and folded over the back. Sport
is one thing: butchery is another, If a
man shoots game birds in reasonable
numbers and at seasons prescribed by
laws adequate to protect those birds
from all danger of determination, I
have nothing to say; but think that a
man who butchers beautiful, harmless
creatures Just to try his Workmanship,
or ''for the fun of seeing them drop" as
some of his class would express 1t,
should be considered as social outcast
by all lovers of decent conduct and fair
play, and placed in the same general as
anarchists and others who wilfully
threaten the peace and wellbeing of
society.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.