12 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL .SOCIETY. 



neck, with white collars, they appeared as if in full dress, the 

 aristocrats of the Anatidoe, as they surely are. 



These choice birds, from this time to November ist, were seen 

 every da}^ in numerous bunches, and even persistent gunning could 

 not drive them from the bay, merely causing them to seek the more 

 open water. Surely if this is what we may expect in the future, the 

 Mallard can now be classed among our common Ducks. 



Redhead. — About October 15th came the advance guard of 

 those justly celebrated Ducks, the Redhead close cousin to that vara 

 avis the CanvasVjack, a record of whose capture in Maine waters I 

 hope to establish before long. The Redhead is far from scarce 

 hereabouts now. He is a late arrival and remains after most of the 

 other Ducks have moved southward. My first experience with them 

 in any numbers was in the fall of 1903. On November 5th of that 

 year, late in the afternoon, I skulled a fiock of nearly forty birds in 

 in the oi)en water, and was within eighty yards before they became 

 suspicious. As the sunlight fell upon the animated group, showing 

 off their rich bronze heads, the sight was one never to be forgotten. 



From October 20th to November ist, 1904, they were seen 

 frequently, usually in sizable flocks. They appear clannish and 

 inhabit the more open water during the day, and consequently are 

 not easily taken. That they are partial to wild rice, upon which 

 they feed at night, is proven by examination of their crops and the 

 delicious flavor this food imparts to their flesh. 



Gadwall. — The heretofore rare Gadwall or Gray Duck {anas 

 strepera) , put in an appearance rather late. It was October 27th 

 when I observed and took the first one, a female, which was with a 

 pair of Mallards. On the 28th and 29th they came in fairly good- 

 sized flocks, fifteen or more being repeatedly seen together, but the 

 weather was boisterous now, and we could rarely get within gun- 

 shot of them. 



Widgeon. — The American Widgeon {anas Americana)^ was 

 also seen about the same time — ^beautiful birds, swift flyers like the 

 Teal. They cannot be mistaken once recognized, their innnaculate 

 under parts making them very conspicuous when on the wing. 



