446 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



the gun or the twang of the bow. In the summer season it 

 is seen abundantly on rivers and fresh-water lakes through- 

 out the fur countries, where they breed, in June, and about 

 Hudson's Bay are said to make their nests in hollow trees, 

 in the woods contiguous to water, a provision of some 

 importance, probably, from the impotent manner in which 

 the birds of this section proceed on the ground. In autumn 

 and winter they are seen almost in every part of the Union, 

 sometimes frequenting the sea shores, but more particularly 

 rivers and lakes. They are observed in Missouri, and on 

 the Mississippi round Natchez. In February they were very 

 abundant in the river Neuse in North Carolina, in the 

 vicinity of Newbern, and dive very dexterously and perse- 

 veringly in quest of their food, which is at that time prin- 

 cipally fluviatile and submerged vegetables, particularly the 

 sea-wrack ; they also sometimes visit the bays and salt 

 marshes in quest of the Laver or Ulva lactuca, as well as 

 Crustacea and small shell-fish. They are often exceedingly 

 fat, and in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are commonly 

 known by the ridiculous name of Butter-Box or Butter-Ball. 

 Their flesh, however, like that of the preceding, is not in 

 very high request for the table ; but the females and young, 

 which are almost the only kinds that visit this part of Mas- 

 sachusetts in winter, are very tender and well flavored. 



In February, the males are already engaged in jealous 

 contests for the selection of their mates, and they are then 

 seen assembled in small flocks of both sexes. The drake 

 is now heard to quale, and repeatedly move his head back- 

 ward and forward in the frolicksome humor of our domes- 

 tic Ducks ; and about the middle of April or early in May, 

 they have all disappeared on their way to their natal regions 

 in the north. 



From their great propensity to diving, they are commonly 

 known in the Carolinas by the name of Dippers ; when 



