20. Apart from the gonoral interest of the subject at the 

 present day, the phenomena of flight are worth the study 

 of the sportsman who wislies to slioot with success. One 

 vonld like to see an analysis of the flight of the Duck tribe 

 by an expert on bird aviation like Dr. llankin, but, 

 unfortunately, his careful and scientific observations are 

 mainly confined to the birds of prey. It is interesting to 

 find him poking fun, in a book in which this is almost 

 the only departure from serious business, at Hume for 

 explaining the mystery of soaring flight by " levitation." 

 Or. Hankin does not seem to know Hume, at any rate 

 under the initials A. 0. H. The great Ornithologist was 

 00 doubt better at stating facts than expounding causation. 

 A.ny how, he was hard to beat as an observer, and the 

 Tudividual Notes in this paragraph alone are sufficient to 

 vindicate him in this aspect. Remarks on the tricks of 

 the various species will be found below ; in general it seems 

 only necessary to say that the True Ducks differ very 

 conspicuously from the Diving Ducks when on the wing, 

 and this is the point which should first be seized. "The 

 flight of the latter is irregular as compared with that 

 jf the former. The pinions of the Diving Ducks beat 

 faster, because more exertion is required to sustain and 

 project their heavier bodies ; they keep lower and are not 

 to be seen so much against the sky ; their light is hurried 

 and anxious ; they never wheel with the grace and certainty 

 of Teal, but fly straight with all haste to the place which 

 they appear to have chosen." (Sir Ralph Payve- Gallic ay). 

 Among the True Ducks, the palm for difficulty and general 

 sporting characteristics must be given to the familiar little 

 Common Teal. Even the beginner will be able to hit a 

 party of them flying wi'h his first barrel, but he will find 

 the second a very diflferent proposition. At the impact of 

 the sound wave the whole lot twist away like lightning, 

 altering their elevation and generally beliaving in a way 

 that takes one's breath away at first. The Pintail is the 

 fastest of the Duck tribe, but he doesn't give one much 

 opportunity or many shots. Of the remaining commoner 

 Ducks, the Mallard and tlie Gadwall are fine fliers, the 

 latter perliaps the more difficult to hit of the two. 



REMARKS ON INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



Spotbill. — The Spotbill, snyn Stnatt-Baker, is in 

 every sense of the word one of the finest and most game of 

 our duck. Even larger on an average tlian the Mallard, 

 it fully rivals that bird for thfe table and is, I think, more 

 uniform in its good condition ; this no doubt is due to 

 the fact that it has not to ' overtax its strengtli in long 

 migrations. ; 



