Wintp-- Owk OF N\VIED-F Owl 
IMeMOUrICAMp Mn a erovye-ol timber, on thesshore, 
for several days found many interesting things to 
investigate. A few miles back from the lake was 
a rushy, grass-grown slough that supported a mar- 
vellous ‘variety of (Ducks. \ It.was a’ mile and a 
half long, and, as we put up the horses in a sod 
barn near the shore, and saw some Gadwalls, Bald- 
pates, Blue-winged Teals, Shovellers, Mallards, and 
Pintails feeding near-by, down where the cows 
drank, I realized what a wonderful place it was. 
iihewwaterewas too deep to wade, except at the 
lower end of the slough, and the only boat had 
been burmed=intaiprame tire, /For all that) ) saw 
enough birds. Pairs of Ruddy Ducks were swim- 
ming among the reeds, holding their tails erect, as 
is their unique fashion. By this habit they can be 
distinguished from any of the other Ducks. The 
male, at this season, is very striking in his bright 
reddish coat and pale-blue bill, Eared, Horned 
and» Pied= billed Grebes, and’ Coots, were every- 
where near neighbors of the Ruddies. Farther 
fout there were the Greater and Lesser Scaups, in 
pairs, also very many pairs of Redheads, and, most 
conspicuous of all, Canvasback couples that were 
floating about in the more open lanes and areas of 
water. In one place where I stood I counted 
eleven pairs of Canvasbacks, and one solitary male, 
whose mate had doubtless already begun her month- 
long vigil somewhere in one of the reedy clumps. 
A pair of Pintails were busy on the prairie, near 
the margin, and I found they were scratching a 
hollow that was to be their nest. Wherever I went 
pairs or parties of all these species of Ducks that 
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