THE PINTAIL DUCK. 



LL the Ducks are interesting, 

 and few species of the feath- 

 ered creation, in shape, color, 

 beauty, and general va- 

 riety of appearance pre- 

 sent more that is attractive to the 

 student of ornithology. Aside from 

 their utility as destroyers of much that 

 is obnoxious to vegetation and useful 

 animal life, and as a desirable, if not 

 indispensable, food for man, they 

 possess characteristics that render them 

 interesting and instructive subjects for 

 investigation and study. 



Among them this widely distributed 

 fresh water Duck is one of the best 

 known. Its name describes it well. 

 It is one of the first arrivals in the 

 spring. The Pintail haunts wet prair- 

 ies, mud flats, and the edges of reedy, 

 grassy waters, feeding largely upon 

 bulbous roots, tender shoots, insects 

 and their larvae, worms and snails, 

 and, on its return in the fall, upon 

 various seeds, water plants, and 

 grain. Acorns have been frequently 

 taken from the crops of these Ducks. 



The Pintail, according to Goss, 

 seldom dives, and it never does so 

 while feeding, but in searching in the 

 water for its food immerses not only 

 the head but a large portion of the 

 body. It is an odd sight to see a 

 flock thus tipped up and working their 

 feet in the air, as if trying to stand 

 upon their heads. They move about 

 with a graceful motion of the head, 

 and with tail partially erect, and upon 

 the land step off with a dignity of 

 carriage as if impressed with the 

 thought that they are no common 

 Duck. In flight they are very swift. 



The nest of the Pintail is placed 



on low but dry, grassy land and not 

 far from water, usually under the 

 shelter of a bush, and is a mere depres- 

 sion in the ground, lined with grasses 

 and down. There are from seven to 

 eggs ten, of pale green to olive buff, in 

 form oval and ovate. 



The habitat of the Pintail Duck is 

 the northern hemisphere in general ; 

 in North America it breeds from the 

 northern United States northward to 

 Iceland and south in winter to Cuba 

 and Panama. 



Mr. George Northrup, of long ex- 

 perience on Calumet lake and river, 

 Illinois, says that only a few years ago 

 there were to be seen on these waters 

 during the seasons of migration as 

 many as a million, perhaps millions, 

 of Ducks, among v/hich were multi- 

 tudes of Pintails. He has seen the 

 lake so covered with them that there 

 seemed to be no room whatever for 

 more, though others continued to 

 alight. The hunters v/ere delighted 

 with the great opportunities these vast 

 flocks presented for slaughter — sport, 

 as they called it; mania, Mr. Northrup 

 characterized it. He said the birds, at 

 the very earliest indication of day, 

 hurried on swift wing to their feeding- 

 grounds to get their breakfasts, where 

 the sportsmen were usually awaiting 

 them. 



The Pintail Duck is not regarded as 

 so great a delicacy as the Canvasback, 

 the Red Head, or even the Mallard, 

 yet when fat, young, and tender it is 

 a very palatable bird, and well esteemed 

 for its flavor. The cook probably has 

 something to do with its acceptableness 

 when served, for 



No Duck is bad when appetite 

 Waits on di^jestion. 



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