Hooded Merganser in a Chicago Park 



By HERBERT R MILLS 



GARFIllLI) PARK, a large natural woodland containing several acres 

 of beautiful lagoons, is situated in Chicago's thickly settled west side. 

 Here, in sight of Madison Street's continual jjrocession of street cars, 

 and within range of the roar from Lake Street's elevated and surface lines, a 

 Hooded Merganser, in aduh male ])lumage, has come and remained for the past 

 eighteen months. His first appearance in the park \va- duiiiig the spring migra- 

 tion of 1908, and since then my fre(|uent visits to the i)ark have never failed to 

 tind him contentedly feeding along the edge of some lag-)<)n, in company with 

 the tame Ducks and Swan that are kejjt there. 



HOODED MERGANSER IX .\ CHICAGO PARK LAKE 

 Photographed by Herbert R. Mills 



He is ap]jarcntlv unin'ured. I have never seen him tl\ , hut he sometimes 

 leaves the water and walks up on the shore to sit among the bushes on the bank. 

 In the water he far surpasses the tame birds in speed and power. He seems to have 

 lost all fear of human beings, for he will dash u]) to the very water's edge to 

 snatch the cracker or piece of bread offered to him. When food is thrown t)ut 

 on the lagoon, he will shoot through the water like a meteor, and seize the morsel 

 from under the \ery bill of the tame Duck, whose alertness and power of instan- 

 taneous reaction have long been lost through years of (himc^-stication. 



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