348 SWIMMERS. 



twang of the bow. In the summer season it is seen abundantly 

 on rivers and freshwater lakes throughout the fur countries, 

 where it breeds in June, and about Hudson Bay it is said to 

 make its nest in hollow trees in the woods contiguous to water, 

 — a provision of some importance, probably, from the impo- 

 tent manner in which the birds of this group proceed on the 

 ground. In autumn and winter these birds are seen almost in 

 every part of the Union, sometimes frequenting the sea-shores, 

 but more particularly rivers and lakes. They are observed in 

 Missouri, and on the Mississippi round Natchez. In February 

 they were very abundant on the river Neuse in North Carolina, 

 in the vicinity of Newbern, and used to dive very dexterously 

 and perseveringly in quest of their food, w^hich at that time is 

 principally fluviatile and submerged vegetables, particularly the 

 sea- wrack ; they also sometimes visit the bays and salt-marshes 

 in quest of the laver, or Ulva lactuca, as well as Crustacea and 

 small shell-fish. They are often exceedingly fat, and in Penn- 

 sylvania and New Jersey are commonly known by the ridiculous 

 name of Butter- Box, or Butter-Ball. Their flesh, however, Hke 

 that of the preceding species, is not in very high request for 

 the table ; but the females and young, which are almost the 

 only kinds that visit this part of Massachusetts in winter, are 

 very tender and well flavored. 



In February, the males are already engaged in jealous con- 

 tests for the selection of their mates, and the birds are then 

 seen assembled in small flocks of both sexes. The drake is 

 now heard to qtiak, and seen repeatedly to move his head 

 backward and fonvard in the frolicksome humor of our do- 

 mestic Ducks ; and by about the middle of April or early in 

 May every single individual wifl have disappeared on its way 

 to the natal regions of the species in the North. 



From their great propensity to diving, these birds are com- 

 monly known in the Carolinas by the name of Dippers ; when 

 wounded or hit with a shot, they will often dive or conceal 

 themselves with such art that they seem to have buried them- 

 selves in the water, and probably often remain wholly submerged 

 to the bill, or disappear in the jaws of a pike. 



