ALLEN] CONCERNING WILD DUCKS 175 



The canvasbacks and scaups, althou^i;h supposed to be very 

 wary, are usually the first to find the feed, and, after scrutinizing 

 the shore from every angle, they begin to dive. The water boils 

 and churns with the multitude of paddling feet and buoyant 

 bodies, and more ducks swim in from all directions until there is a 

 great flock. Beside the graceful, aristocratic canvasbacks the 

 scaups look very chubby and their beady yellow eyes set in their 

 dark round heads give them a shrewd if somewhat uncultivated 

 expression. 



The redheads keep clanishly to them.selves, diving out towards 

 the middle of the lake, and if ever one finds itself with the more 

 docile scaups and canvasbacks, it swims about suspiciously with 

 every sign of being an alien. Sometimes, in the early morning, or 

 in che dusk of evening, small flocks of black ducks and mallards 

 come in but they too seem out of their elemenc. Being dabblers 

 rather than divers, they are perhaps loath to show their inex- 

 perience in deep water. They edge toward the corn and finally 

 wich much splashing and complete lack of finesse, they essay a few 

 dives in the shallower water. These pond and river ducks dive 

 with a little flip of their wings, as well as their feet, while the diving 

 ducks use only their feet. 



It is often all one can do to hold in his chuckles while watching 

 from ambush on che shore, such a seething, bobbing mass of ducks, 

 but it is imperative that he do so, no matter what ridiculous bout 

 may be transpiring a few feet away. The canvasbacks, albeit very 

 dignified at times, are fighters ac heart. For no reason that an 

 onlooker can discover, two birds advance gloweringly toward each 

 other, with heads bene threateningly to one side, while each 

 tranfixes his opponent with his glittering red eye. Then they 

 clinch bills and struggle till one is exhausted and attempts to 

 escape, whereat the vanquisher grabs him unmercifully by what- 

 ever part he can seize, — neck, wing, or tail, — and pursues him till 

 his spirit is chastened. 



Sometimes a pair of whistlers or golden eyes, one of the most 

 beautiful and distinctive species, swim in, although apparently not 

 for the corn. They are well named ' ' whistler' ' for their wings make 

 several times the noise of other ducks' wings and, furthermore, the 

 sound is quite vocal in quality (although of course it is made 

 entirely with the wings) , and it can be heard as far as the bird can 

 be seen. The male often executes his curious courting figure 



