308 SWIMMERS. 



France, Italy, and Sardinia. In the United States it appears 

 to be generally rare. A few of the young birds are seen in 

 this vicinity, and Wilson met with it in the interior on Seneca 

 Lake in October, and in February at Louisville on the Ohio, 

 and near the Big Bone Lick, in Kentucky. 



The Gadwall breeds in the woody districts of the remote 

 northern fur countries of Canada. In the North of Europe it 

 inhabits the vast rushy marshes, and in Holland, where it is 

 common, associates in the same places with the Wild Duck, or 

 Mallard. These birds are very much esteemed as game, are 

 very alert at diving and swimming, and plunging at the flash 

 of the gun, are obtained with difficulty. They are very timor- 

 ous, lurking in the marshes by day, feeding only in the twilight 

 of the morning and evening, and often till some time after 

 nightfall; they are then heard flying in company with the 

 Whistlers, and, like these, obey the call of the Decoy Ducks. 

 Their cry much resembles that of the common Wild Duck ; 

 nor is it more raucous or louder, though Gesner seems to have 

 meant to characterize its note by applying the epithet strepei-a^ 

 which has been adopted by succeeding ornithologists. The 

 food of this bird consists of small fish, shelly moUusca, insects, 

 and aquatic plants. 



The Gadwall breeds from the Middle States to the lower fur 

 countries. It is rather rare to the eastward of the Mississippi 

 valley, but in that region it is abundant north to the Saskatchewan. 



This is a freshwater Duck, and its favorite resort is the marshy 

 margin of a retired lake or stream, where it dozes through the 

 hours of the day, and at night feeds among the tangled rushes. 

 It is a shy bird and wary, but sociable with its kind, and may be 

 found in company with other wild fowl. It swims light and buoy- 

 antly, but never dives unless wounded, and its flight is strong and 

 swift. 



