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Show V? J "TOM fWlSmLL 1 y OH, l'ou frisky old mallards! You have cast a shadow upon tho wishes, hopes and Entieipp.tions of many expectant and ambitious hunters. On many occasions have n made those out of killlnir distance les, yet hovering about, keeping the .iter dicglng a little, . deeper Into the -;, in a vain attempt to evade your n'on and Induce you to drop in on an .'litigating tour of Irs decoys, "ion have rewarded the hunter with a -i quack, which, correctly interpreted, -'art "good-hy," as you hit the trail more congenial localities. In hieh--jt circles you are called Anas platy-r.chos. platy-r.chos. That is not the name Justly "'-H to vou by the disappointed ictsman, as you disappear upon the riaon. Mr Mallnrd, you are admittedly a good v,:er, with your shimmering, bronze-rn bronze-rn head, olive-green bill, orange legs, iiu Wended stripes of blue and green a wings. Your wife Is also most se-';ive, se-';ive, with her autumn shadings in 'I'Mse, which so effectually blend with rrjre's surroundings. Feed in Shallow Water. Tou are tho congener of domestic '.At, having a strong tendency to a jmI twang when In conversation. You 'n of the "puddler" species, with many l!;-'jp" habits. To avert the possibil-:r possibil-:r of drowning, you feed in shallow wa-v, wa-v, confining your efforts to mollusks, rm roots and the many tender aquatic tir's, not being adverse to a crop full farmer's corn. ' Yon rank for intelligence far above the (r&se duck and your bump of caution :t abnormal!: developed. Your flight is rriroful, rapid and frequently very de-f!.ve de-f!.ve to the sportsman. With a length 'I about twenty-two Inches over all, 'Itfilng from two to three pounds, you rike a most attractive aerial target. m to negotiate with, as is frequently !v:denced by the splash! splash! follower follow-er a successful double. You have a reputation for socialibiMty i- congenial disposition, always ongre-n'ing ongre-n'ing when the opportunity presents. hi are vain, self-conscious, with a ren-hr,t ren-hr,t to chummyness. You are willing n all occasions to drift out on a preen-'ordr?ss preen-'ordr?ss parade swim, that your lady ''nils may at least enjoy one real treat, you demonstrate to them the Aus-Ui Aus-Ui Ian crawl stroke. Intermingled with n occasional dash of the shimmy dance, iioce, Hit-matching Contest. M!y Crosby, Fred Gilbert and the Mior were house guests of Rolla O. S'its at his cottage on Pt. Clair flats, "' Pearl Beach, Michigan. We had danced a wlt-matchlng contest with a aggregation of mallards, which were legated on Anchor baa'. reached :"'?h a dredged ditch running from '''North channel of St. Clair river, iw anow was falling In a light mist, '.ntr ahead of a strong wind; ideal "ollions for a duck hunt. Tho bay covered with migratory birds, which that restless feeling usually seen ,' they start south. Without fir- 1 a shot wo drove them out, imme-setting imme-setting our decoys off adjacent .ht9. ,r failure to shoot, before their de-j'J'W, de-j'J'W, branded our arrival a "false 'rm, hence tbev soon returned, singly, and In sn ail flocks, coming down '.but making graceful circles, and , j'"K Into our decoys with wings set, Hti 'lartl "' ta"s sProai1 anri fect ex" Beautiful Teamwork. Ip'tH and Heikes paired on one pis'uy and the writer were their j;;- rlrnis neighbors. We could see the f:-.to every shot fired by Heikes and Vi "-t, and few mistakes in accuracy ,. Worded. Never were two shots ; ij it the same bird. It was beauti-i".. beauti-i".. 'ork trom start, to fin'sb. Our f blended with faded reeds, tulc . m"d flats. ll""'" motionless was the all re-' i '.:,' To recount shots and results !"Si. , only rcnetltinnsingles. ,;''. misses and "cve-wlpes'' were . er of the day. (Gilbert's ability , 5 wlt1' passing birds, evontual--i'at them tn drop In for a. more i. acquaintance, was a most 110-feature. 110-feature. .;'' headed for our dceovs were re- ;,iC',V'l''ea awav. We all scored "i 1 "Th0 Four" had tr l .i.m,,r" companionable day to-,n to-,n tne shooting world. |