WILD DUCKS 177 



scaup, white-winged scoter, ruddy duck, golden-eye, mal- 

 lard, pintail, gadwall, shoveller, green- winged teal, and blue- 

 winged teal — twelve species. The eggs of all of these 

 hatched normally, all kinds equally well, averaging 92 per 

 cent. The young of nine species, all but the scoter, golden- 

 eye, and ruddy, were easily raised by the same method, 

 described above. 



Peculiarities of Species. The young shovellers and blue- 

 winged teals seemed rather the most dehcate of these nine, 

 perhaps partly owing to their small size and being trampled 

 by larger ducklings. On the other hand, the few green- 

 winged teals were more easily raised, and seemed to have 

 so much vitaHty that nearly all grew up, though they were 

 trampled and plucked almost bare. The pintails were just 

 as hardy, and in two seasons we did not lose a single one. 

 The mallards also were very hardy. Gadwalls did well, 

 and are very nice ducks, easy to raise, though some mortal- 

 ity in winter made it appear that they are not so hardy as 

 the three above mentioned. E. A. Mcllhenny, however, 

 is very successful in rearing young gadwalls and blue- 

 winged teals. The redhead is easy to raise, hardy, and 

 docile. 



Canvasback. As far as I know our young canvas- 

 backs were the first ever reared in captivity. They thrived 

 on the ordinary food, were easily handled, and we raised a 

 good number. Apparently they were of a more shy and 

 nervous temperament than most of the others, decidedly 

 more so than their near relatives, the redheads. When once 

 frightened, it was hard to get them over it. One batch 

 which had a bad fright in some simple way when small 

 never forgot it, but would have a mad stampede if any one 

 near them made a quick motion. When care was exercised, 

 however, they were tame and gentle. During the period 



