WATER-BIRD WAIFS 



as Fish Ducks, or Shelldrakes, species with long serrated 

 bills, well adapted to seizing fish. They are the Red- 

 breasted Merganser, the Goosander, and the Hooded 

 Merganser, that being the order of their abundance. 

 The first two are quite often seen from November to 

 April in rivers or ponds, and, when these partly freeze 

 up, in air holes, or even on the ice. In winter they are 

 grayish birds above, and white beneath, with white on 

 the wings. The head is crested, brown usually, but 

 the heads of the males change to a dark green in early 

 spring. 



All these marine or Fish Ducks are poor eating, 

 despite the best of cooking and parboiling, but with 

 ordinary culinary methods they are impossible. On a 

 southern yachting cruise one of our party shot two 

 Red-breasted Shelldrakes, which the darky steward 

 served up for dinner, as he would have done Mallards 

 or Canvasbacks. Each man got the first mouthful at 

 about the same time, and there was a simultaneous 

 scramble for the hatchway to dispose thereof. The 

 remainder was promptly fed to the fishes, and we 

 indulged no more in roast shelldrake! 



There is but one species of wild goose which we can 

 expect to visit us inland, the Canada Goose, which we 

 ordinarily see in wedge-shaped flocks in early spring 

 or late fall, gliding along with measured wing-beats, 

 and honking forth those wild calls that send thrills 

 through everyone w^ho is capable of being stirred by 

 the sights and sounds of the wilds. Sometimes they 



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