THE GUIDE TO NATURE 







SCAUP DUCKS. 



To Recognize a Duck When We See 

 One. 



It is common to hear a person tell 

 of seeing- a "duck or some such bird, 

 swimming!" Even the more advanced 

 student is likely to receive a vague im- 

 pression from the first sight of a swim- 

 ming bird, whether duck, coot, loon 

 or grebe ; although an ornithologist 

 would scarcely use the term "such 

 bird," knowing them to be not inti- 

 mately related. The uncertainty is due 

 to a wariness which these birds have in 

 common ; thev are usually seen at such 



a distance that their forms are indis- 

 tinct, and their colors obscure. 



We cannot here describe the specific 

 differences and characters of the sixty 

 < >r more American birds included in 

 the groups under consideration. We 

 should first learn to distinguish the 

 main groups. Naturally the question, 

 "Is it a duck?" goes before, "What 

 kind of duck?" 



The accompany illustrations should 

 be sufficient to indicate plainly the re- 

 semblances and the differences of form 

 and color, which we wish to notice. 



W'JI.O DUCKS IX ORDINARY FLIGHT. 



