Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-29

nearer YOU can see that the clouds arc
hade or thousands Of tiny ngmres Long
bcIorr they reach the feeding grounds,
me great RATS have broken uD into
hundreds of little fOcks, and these arc
uart'nE and circling everywhere Th.
larger lunches nearly always sby a,
the dec"yS for The intelligence OF ducks
seems 1" be largely dependent upou
now many Of them are gathered to-
E"'hcr. hock OF 100 Is too wary for
amy rusc, and 81 lone fowl is a fool
B'it soon half dozen canvas-backa
hSinI low, swing over the wooden
lures. You sec - black northumberland
inquire bob up aud point n gun two
nucks hurtle over and over and strike
tho water. Then comes the f.in,
pong. pong" OF ,hc report
Soon tho air is full Of popping ami
sun the ducks continue to ny, especially
u ~ is cold or stormy day when they
cannot we'll 20 out To sea Thirtv-Gvo
ducks Is the legal bag limit and often
good shot bags his thirty-Hvc canvas
backs on Back Bay In IL few hours g.,
"'n'r days. however, tho ducks will
ho' draw to the dccoy.. and there i.
'huch cold waiting for a Tvs shots
Hlthough duck shooting il here re-
c" 10 "a science. and everything is
donc Tor III" visiting sportsman cxccnt
milling tn" trigger yet there is murh
""TnshiD IN the game. for in January
''iu' "ahp winds sweep over the bay
ana sink box is no place Ia take ,x
'rc'S". II ~ interesting to notice III.
n"'iner OF wealthy sportsmcn from tn.
.ror'h-fhen who would take "A taxi Ia
the Office on "a damn morni,c 49,
'hecfiuily take "a freezing for tho sake
OF sport III III" shooting is not good
inns same gentleman will probably u.
,onhu IN inc evening wondering why
II" did IL but If he bags his lmi,
,noush he may have TO be lifted out OF
MS box. dis face wears a purple smile
OF triumphant satisfaction
Are Protected by Inv.
40 donpt one reason the ducks re-
turn year after year TO Back Bay, de-
spite IN" carnage that awaits them IA
mat they arc well protected The lcpis
lators ~ Princess Anne County rccoe
hize that the duck az well as tho
sportsman needs some recreation So
they give him three days "A week and
an ms evenings of. 1t is against the
law 10 shoot on Wcdnesd aye SATURDAYS
or Sundays, and before sunrise and
after sunset. Thus the Back Bav ducs
mas union hours. and is no doub, will
ing to take "a few chances on odd d,y.
IN consideration OF these frequent vaca-
tons and the excellent fare that Back
Bay affords.
IL is also against tho law 20 shoe,
ducks from motnrboat on Back Raw
ana TINS provision leads To occasional
Nio'a Tons. me most abundant fowl
at inns iIne Of the year next TO III.
c"nNas-b back, il an odd. ungainly bird
which ~ generally called the coot or
inu"hen. but IN tn. Back Bay region
Is known exclusively as tho Blue Peter
ne I'Iu" Peter. IS about as good to cat
generally speaking. as boiled saddIa
leather. but in Back Bay m. diet OF
"'lh celery which he shares with IN.
luscious canvas back causes him 10
rival that bird as "a dclicacy. The Blu.
Peter viii not d"coy worth "a cent. bu,
n" VIII rise and hy right over the bow
or uotorboat. SO that running
Though the Blu" Peters and shooting
them up is favorite. though Illegal
snort.
Another heavy temptation is laid
upon III" sportsman when "A Nock Of
whiStlnS swans come dying over his
blind. These great white birds. often
nearly four feet long. arc protected at
"a times q! the year bccaus. they arc
threatened with determinations Their
siZ" and color doubtless have much
TO do with TIA" enforcement Of this law
Tor II is pretty hard 10 hide a swan
after YOU have killed him. ;, man who
shot one NOT long ago confessed TO
som" friends whom he could trus, that
as burden on the conscience The great
"Ettc fowl made the well known alba
tross OF the Ancient Mariner look like
q flickS bird