Year: 1878

CONTINUED


From LippineoHs .Naga,ine.


THE BAY.


1t is the Chesapeake which gives to East
ern Maryland its distinctive character
The green waters which bear TO the ocean
the debris of the Susquehanna have done
more than carve the coast line into thou.
sand fantastic shapes and work their way
into the heart of the Peninsula. They
the character Of the people; they have
given direc, ion to their industries. have
tempered the climate and feItiliZ.d the
soil: and the plash Of their wavelets may
may be felt, in every pulse beat of life and
activity on the Eastern Shore. To study
the bay with accuracy and profit we must
begin in the air which now touches the
ripples of its bosom with wanion kisses
now lashes them with its stormy breath
into tossing surges which ape :he angry
ocean, and work our way down into the
rich mud which forms its bottom-rich
with treasures which rough handed and
weather daring industry compels it to
yield up as contribution To the susie
nance, the luxury and the wealth of the
upper world.


While there are no forms of bird life pc
culiar 0 the Chesapeake, there are yet few
buster or more interesting fields of observa-
tion open to the practical ornithologist
With the exception of the few species
whose extreme northern or southern limits
lie respectively above or below the latitude
of Maryland, every gull and tern common
to the Atlantic coast may be seen lowering
over its water. The bald eagle is rarely
absent from the landscape-in Summer
cruising with piratical designs against the
industrious fish hawks; in Winter watch
ing from his perch on the shore for a chance
to make raid upon the water fowl which
swarm on the flats. From March till early
Winter the graceful evolutions of the
prey are a never ceasing pleasure to the
eye which loves Nature. Usually, these
peaceful birds hunt singly, never failing,
however, during the brooding season to
carry a bountiful supply to the patient
mate who is sitting miles away; but before
the female takes to her nest they hunt in
pairs. Yonder are ten or more sailing in
many crossing lines above some shallow
where the herrings are wont to pass. Sud
denly one comes down, not with the swoop
aud rush which mark his dash into deep
water, but with iiuttering wings aud ex-
tended taions. His claws barely brush the
water, but he flies of heavily to the shore
with a firm grip on his prey. immediately
a second bird leaves the group and follows
him, and SO on until all have gone, each
successful bird, whether male or female,
being at once followed by the mate, who
will share the spoil. The common cormur-
ant, the loon, the black and the red throat.
ed divers, the hooded merganser or "har-
row-head," the goosander or water
pheasant" and the sheldrake or "dun.
diver" are all found on the waters of the
bay. Our interest is chiefly, however, in
the myri1ds of useful water fowl, which
- only supply sport TO the gentleman
gamer, but the taking OF which forms one
of the most profitable industries of the
Eastern Shore. The birds of this great
family which frequent the Chesapeake and
its tributaries are the American swan, the
Canada, brant and snow goose, the canvas
-. L.
species of scaup duck and the ring neck
duck), the ruddy duck or water par
fridge" the pied, surf, velvet and scooter
ducks ithe latter known as "tarpot ", the
golden eye or ~ whittier" the long tailed
duck {" southerly ~, and the buffet head
or clipper" The black duck and shoveler
are sometimes found on the flats. but they
are marsh fowl" and do not properly
belong to the bay.


Tho swan and goose are not killed in any
proportion to their numbers. and the brant
has become very rare. OF the ducks men
toned, only the canvas back, red heads
and black heads are regarded as good
ducks the whittier and dipper being shot
when the opportunity offers, but being
classed by the Chesapeake gunner with all
the rest of the trash ducks" The bald
pate, though properly marsh fowl, is
very fond Of the water grass, especially
the Tdlisneria, which gives its delicate
flavor TO the canvas back, and is generally
found in company with the latter, robbiug
him of the food which his superior skill in
diving enables him to procure in great
abundance. No method of trapping ducks
have ever been devised which can take the
place Of the heavy double gun with all its
accompaniments of severe exposure, uncer-
tainty Of success and hard work For
merly, thousands of ducks were killed by
swivels mounted in the bows of sail boats
and fired with terrible execution into the
immense beds of fowl, which could be
readily approached at night. This destruc-
tive method has been prohibited by law,
and being used chiefly by - foreign" gun
ners. is in great disfavor among the natives.
Night shooting with reiiectors is also lille.
gal, and drives away the fowl by disturb
ing them during feeding time. 1t is now
practiced chiefly in procuring geese and
swan. A reflector, somewhat like the head
light of a locomotive, is fixed in the bow
Of light, flat bottomed boat which seats
two gunners. One paddles cautiously and
silently, while the other, holding his huge
double barrel cooked and ready. watches
the patch of light which ripples forward on
the black water ahead of the boat. Sud.
denly, several large. shadowy outlines be-
come visible: the startled birds gaze for a
moment in stupid amazement at the daz
ziing glare; report like that of field
piece goes rolling away into the darkness
in laundering echoes; another, followed by
heavy splash aud the whistling rush Of
mighty wings; the oarsman drops his pad
| die sns: fires two shots from his ready gun: E:
aud then the game is carefully sought for
and retrieved. 1t is, perhaps, the surest
way of killing swan, but is attended with