156 The M^ater-fowl Family 



diving in the open water. The flight is graceful 

 and fast, but near the water, and they pass with- 

 out hesitation over the Hne of boats anchored in 

 the path. When startled by the gunner the flock 

 bunches, and if this chance is waited for, several 

 birds fall at a shot, the others often circling over 

 the wounded. Few crippled ducks are quicker 

 about getting under, and when once they appreci- 

 ate their predicament, it is good-by, old-squaw; 

 they dive at the flash, and you will save time by 

 letting them go, and wishing them luck. These 

 birds are easily decoyed, and, by imitating their 

 note, are often turned from their course and 

 called in. They drop among the stool with a 

 sociable grunt. You wait for them to rise, but 

 they may think differently, and just disappear, 

 coming to the surface and taking wing out of 

 range. As an edible bird the old-squaw is not a 

 success, and the only excuse for shooting him is 

 sport, pure and simple. The natives alongshore 

 pick the bird, and their breast feathers have 

 stuffed many a pillow down east. 



This species is known by various names: 

 south southerly, oldwife, old Indian, cockawee, 

 coween, long-tailed duck, scolder. On mild days 

 in spring and fall old-squaws sometimes " tower," 

 collecting in large flocks, and flying so high in 

 the air as to be hardly visible, then descending to 

 the water with a rush, the whistling of their wings 



