414 Bird -Lore 



the channel was the smallest that I ever saw it, being only about 3 rods long and 

 I rod wide. An American Scaup drake was out on the ice, and as we came up 

 he managed to fly back to the open water. The water was shallow, so I could 

 wade out and crowd the Scaup to one end of the opening until he was forced to 

 pass close by me, making a fine target for my Graflex. The Grebe would not 

 consent to be crowded, but would dive, remaining under water for a long time, 

 sometimes so long that I was afraid that it had got caught under the ice. 

 However, it always managed to come up in the open. 



Before the shooting season was shortened (closing January 15), any Ducks 

 that remained after the lake was frozen were soon killed or driven away by the 

 hunters, so it is only of late years that they have remained here to starve. The 

 winter of 1911-12 was the one year in which the fatalities were greatest. 



AMERICAN SCAUP DUCK (MALE) 

 BRANCHPORT, MARCH 19, 1916 



