DEE RU DDS DUCK 819 
that the birds are popularly known as Pintails, Sprig-tails, Quill-tails, 
Spine-tails, etc., in confusion with Dafila acuta, which owes its common 
name not to the stiffness but to the graceful length of its caudal ap- 
pendage. 
Besides being always fat when in good condition, the garments of 
these birds are made extra thick so that they may spend a great deal of 
time under water. Altho not quite so agile as the Bufflehead at the 
Photo by W’. L. Dawson. 
RUDDY DUCK’S NEST. 
NEARER VIEW OF THE PRECEDING. 
moment of diving, they are excelled by no other duck in their powers of 
endurance under water, diving rather than flying when harassed, and emerging 
at great distances. 
A drake which I once quietly followed about in a canoe upon a Douglas 
County lake in nesting time, seemed rather to enjoy the game, altho he 
was more sophisticated than some. The first thing to observe in addition 
to his striking general beauty, chestnut plumage relieved by black and white 
