although some have been taken in this vicinity weigliing eighteen pounds. The adjacent bays and creeks are the common resort of innumerable flocks of wild ducks. Immense numbers of these birds are killed annually either for sale or domestic use. The favorite method of shooting is technically called "lining," which is performed in the following manner. A number of sportsmen form a continuous line of boats at convenient distances from each other, directly across the line of flight. The moment the ducks rise the firing commences at the head of the line, and is continued in succession by the whole chain of gunners. In this way, hundreds of ducks are annihilated, unless they happen to dash through an opening in the line of boats, when they are suce to escape.

Three hundred ducks have been shot by one individual placed in the line. The species commonly killed by this destructive method are the long-tailed duck, commonly called the squaw or old wife, (Anas Glacialis, Linn.) and the velvet duck, commonly called the coot, (Anas Fusca, Wil.) Another mode is by means of decoys, which is practised until the months of April or May, when the ducks take t'neir departure to the north. ^

In this place deserves to be recorded the capture of an enormous turtle, upon the 9th of Sept. 1773. " On Tuesday a turtle of an enormous size and singular form and marks was taken with a harpoon, by Mr. Bleecker and some others, near New Ilochelle. His length is eight feet from fin to fin, and seven feet three inches from stem to stern. He is snotted under the fore fins like a leopard, and discovered amazing swiftness after beiiig struck by the harpoon. He had been seen among the rocks in the neighbourhood of New Rochelle, but was not known till just before his capture to be a turtle.