THE PINTAIL 



By HERBERT K. JOB 



%^t /(National SLfiQocieition of SLuhnhon ^otittitfi 



EDUCATIONAL LEAFLET No. 76 



Along the wild shores of Lake Winnipegosis, in northern Manitoba, in a 

 region known as the Waterhen River Country, extends a wide belt of bog and 

 meadow, back of which lies the unbroken, primeval, poplar forest. This forest 

 abounds in moose and deer, and there covies of Ruffed Grouse whir up 

 before one into the low trees with surprising frequency, and gaze curiously 

 at their first sight of man. The interminable strip of marsh by the lake har- 

 bors throngs of waterfowl of many sorts. Much of it is overgrown with a 

 bewildering maze of reed, rush, and cane, dissected by narrow, winding, water- 

 ways, here and there uniting in open ponds. This is the home of such birds 

 as the various Grebes, the Loon, Black Tern, Bittern, and the Canvasback, 

 Redhead, and Ruddy Ducks. Other parts are more open and meadow-like. 

 In one part this meadow is alkaline, and a series of shallow, brackish ponds 

 and pools with muddy margins extends for many miles. Although the clouds 

 of mosquitos bred in these pools are dreadful, compensations are present. 

 Along these shores, late in May, feed tribes of migratory shore-birds in elegant 

 nuptial plumage — Sandpipers, Plovers, the Lesser Yellowlegs, some Marbled 

 Godwits, an occasional Hudsonian Godwit, an American Avocet, or a pretty 

 party of Northern Phalaropes, swimming like tiny geese. 



Out in the middle of the pools flocks of ducks disport themselves — all 

 breeding in the vicinity. They are not very wild, and I can readily approach 

 them behind tall grass or bushes, and, with my field-glass, see each one as 

 clearly as though it were actually in hand. They are of the kind which pre- 

 fers the shallow, open pools of the prairie sloughs. The males are in gaudy 

 spring livery, and all swim in mated pairs, each of which has its nest hidden 

 not far away in the old grass of the past season. Some are still laying eggs, 

 and the partial sets are cleverly covered with a blanket of down plucked by 

 the female from the under surface of her body. Others have covered their 

 brooded eggs, and are out for a restful swim and luncheon with the lordly 

 head of the house, who is too aristocratic to take his turn on the eggs, and will 

 soon forsake his spouse to moult off his finery in remote recesses of the tangled 

 bog. Conspicuous by large size among this company are some Mallards, con- 

 trasting sharply with the small Blue- winged and Green- winged Teals. That 

 gaudy drake of moderate size, and his plain spouse, both with enormous bills, 

 are Spoonbills or Shovelers. A few Gadwalls and American Widgeons also 

 are to be seen. Yonder white-backed Lesser Scaups seemingly should be with 



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