final syllables. The whole niar-<h and >hore at times echoes to this loud, lively 

 and sometimes solicitous call of the atTectiouate parents for their brood. The 

 cry, of course, is most frequent toward evening, when the little family, separated 

 by the necessity of scatterinjj themselves over the ground in quest of food, are 

 desirous of again reassembling to roost. 



The young, as soon as hatched, run about the grass and utter from the first a 

 weak, plaintive peep, at length more fretjuent and audible, and an imitation of the 

 whistle of pcct-ii'cct is almost sure to be met with an answer from the sympathiz- 

 ing broods, which now throng our marshes. When the notes appear to be 

 answered the parents hurry and repeat their call with great quickness. Young 

 and old previous to their (lcj)arture frequent the seashores, but never associate 

 with other kinds, nor become gregarious, living always in families till the time of 

 their dejjarture, which usually occurs about the middle of October. 



IvedhCtld (Marila americana) 



Range: Breeds from southern British Columbia, central Alberta, central 

 Saskatchewan, and southwestern Keewatin south to southern California, Utah, 

 southern South Dakota, southern Minnesota, and southern Wisconsin ; winters 

 from southern British Columbia, Utah, Xew Mexico, Kansas, Illinois, Maryland, 

 Delaware, and Massachusetts south to southern Lower California, central Mexico, 

 and Florida. 



In the minds of epicures and sportsmen the redhead is closely associated 

 with the canvas-back. Both species often frequent the same feeding grounds 

 and, as the redhead is as expert at diving as its cousin, it has no difficulty in 

 obtaining its share of the coveted wild celery. This naturally imparts to its 

 flesh the same highly prized flavor which constitutes the canvas-back's chief 

 claim to distinction, and he must possess a delicate taste indeed who can dis- 

 tinguish the difference. Yet, at times there is much in a name and our redhead 

 pays for his taste for celery and his general undesirable likeness to the canvas- 

 back by being sold in the market as bona fide canvas-back. The redhead is 

 much more numerous east of the Rocky Mountains than to the west of that 

 chain and, while many visit the bays and estuaries of the east coast, the duck's 

 preference appears to be for inland lakes and ponds where it subsists upon 

 various aquatic plants, as also upon insects, snails, acorns, beechnuts, and in fact, 

 upon almost anything that is edible by waterfowl standards. Under such cir- 

 cumstances its flesh is no whit better than that of a dozen other species. Of 

 late years a serious reduction of the numbers of this fine fowl has occurred, 

 but it is believed that the abolition of spring shooting will materially aid in 

 checking further decrease. 



851 



