April, 1892.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



61 



The Ruddy Duck. 



At my home at Beaver, Beaver County, 

 Penn., (where it must be understood all 

 the observations about to be given were made), 

 this species (Erisniatura ruhida) is one of the 

 most abundant and best known Ducks during 

 the migi ations, and, though small of size, one 

 of the most highly-prized for the table, con- 

 trary to the rule among the FiiUf/ulince. 

 Pushing north from their wintering resorts to 

 thesouthward, — though itisiiossiblethatsome 

 few do actually spend the inclement season in 

 this locality, wandering about from place to i 

 place in search of food, — the van api^ears in 

 straggling numbers on our streams sometime in | 

 March, but soon they become fairly abundant, 

 and thus remain until about April 15th, when 

 they disappear. Singly and in twos and threes, 

 or more commonly in flocks of a dozen or more, 

 they rarely miss the opportunity to alight, 

 which the smooth water at the mouth of the 

 Beaver affords, there to feed, rest, and recruit 

 for the next stage of their long journey. 

 Many a time before sunrise on a frosty March 

 morning, peering out from my hiding-place 

 among the willows, or sitting motionless in the 

 stern of a drifting boat, have I watched a group 

 of these Ducks disporting in the shallow water, 

 swimming about from place to place, and rais- 

 ing themselves in the water to flap their wings. 

 They come within range, and not seldom, — a 

 flash, a report, and tlie smoke clearing away 

 reveals one or more of their number lying dead 

 or sorely wounded, while the remainder, panic- 

 stiicktn, fly in confusion up the Beaver 1 

 may add that it is a notorious fact among the 

 gunners here that no Duck which does this 

 ever returns. 



The line of water-fowl migration tlirough 

 Beaver County appears to extend down the 

 valley of Raccoon Creek to its mouth, thence 

 up the Ohio to the mouth of the Beaver and up 

 this latter stream. In the fall tlie directions 

 are of course reversed. At that season they 

 arrive the latter part of October, thougli from 

 lack of sufficient data the time of their depart- 

 ure cannot be given. 



Whatever these Ducks may have to fear from 

 beast or bird of prey, man is undoubtedly their 

 worst enemy. What with being persecuted 

 well-nigh unto death wherever they may 

 attempt to settle for the winter, forced to 

 wander from place to place in a vain search for 

 that which is not, living in incessant fear of 

 their lives, it is little wonder that they hasten 



to push northward at the first breath of spring. 

 But the sequel shows them their troubles have 

 but just begun, for scarcely is their presence 

 known along the line of their path, than every 

 owner of a " shooting-iron," from the old flint- 

 lock musket of a century ago down to the 

 latest improved breech-loader, is literally "up 

 in arms " against them. Slaughtered by the 

 score, and that, too. usually in mere sport, 

 decimated wherever they may attempt to rest, 

 frightened by those noisy inventions of men, 

 railway-trains and steam-boats, baffled well- 

 nigh at every point, still the thinned ranks 

 keep on. only to be overtaken and di-iven back 

 by storms in front. Again and again they 

 advance, again and again are driven back, but 

 finally, the weather having settled, the surviv- 

 ors are enabled to reach their breeding- 

 grounds in the British possessions, where 

 only may they rear their young in comparative 

 peace. But with the approach of winter in 

 increased numbers they must needs return 

 and do it all over again. Ah, however humble 

 our lot in life may be, or how much of a 

 struggle it may be to keep soul and body 

 together, ought we not to be thankful that we 

 are not they ? 



Apropos of Ducks being driven back by 

 storms, I would say that on April 6, 1889, 

 occurred the most notable instance of this kind 

 that has come under my observation. That was 

 the greatest day for Ducks I ever saw. We had 

 had comparatively pleasant weather for a week 

 or so previous, so that the bulk had left, biit 

 the night before it grew very cold and stormy, 

 and about two inches of snow fell. No doubt 

 the storm was more severely felt farther to the 

 northward, for that morning the Ohio was 

 literally crowded with ducks. Flock after 

 flock came down the Beaver, circled around for 

 a short time and then settled. It is perhaps 

 needless to add that the whole shooting frater- 

 nity was very busy that day, but still the Ducks 

 kept coming, until it almost seemed there could 

 not be room for more. It is a noteworthy fact 

 that the Ohio marked the limit of their south, 

 ward movement, for a visit to Raccoon Creek 

 failed to discover a single individual. Nor did 

 the Ducks alone suif er from the storm ; other 

 water-fowl accompanied them, and some 

 migrating land birds were also driven back. 

 As the afternoon wore away, the sun coming 

 out warm, they began to go north again, until 

 by evening but a very few of that mighty host 

 remained. 



The Ruddy as a diver is more expert than 

 some of its allies, as I have found by experi- 



