CHAPTER XXV 



THE GAME-DUCKS 



Under the head of "Game-Ducks" there are included, 

 from a wildfowler's point of view, those members of the 

 duck-tribe which are met with on sheltered waters — in 

 other words, on waters where a gunning-punt can be 

 safely navigated. These are chiefly the surface-feeding 

 ducks, which feed by night ; but a certain section of the 

 diving ducks, such as scaup and golden-eye, also frequent 

 these same situations by day, and must therefore be 

 regarded as forming a subdivision of the game-ducks. 

 The remaining section of diving-ducks, being confined 

 exclusively to the open sea, are seldom or never met with 

 in waters where a gunning-punt can venture. These are 

 classified, in wildfowlirig parlance, as sea-ducks, and to 

 them is devoted a subsequent chapter. 



By far the most important of the ducks included in 

 the first-named category are mallard and wigeon. From 

 September till March both are the most numerous, most 

 valuable, and most sporting fowl on the coast-gunner's 

 game-list. To him these two species are what par- 

 tridge and pheasant represent to the inland sportsman : 

 while, correspondingly, the brent geese on the tide take 

 the place of the grouse on the heather. The habits of the 

 mallard when on salt water vary to some extent from those 



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