Duck-shooting 199 



the size of bantam chicks. They keep close to 

 the mother and feed on what she selects, seeds 

 and grubs; later on she fishes for them. By 

 early fall they all take flight, and hurry south. 

 We see them on our New England coast in spare 

 numbers by late September, though in the South 

 more commonly. Throughout the interior they 

 are well known on the marshes of most of our 

 lakes and rivers. The hooded merganser fre- 

 quents the brackish bays of our Southern states ; 

 here creeks and ponds in the marshy islands are 

 the spots he loves. We see him in a small, select 

 flock or with his little brown mate, keeping 

 mostly by themselves ; in places where protection 

 is afforded quickly showing their appreciation of 

 it, and becoming gentle. As the male swims 

 lightly on the water, he is an ornament of beauty 

 unsurpassed ; if startled, springing into the air 

 and flying low and fast with unusual speed. 

 Few birds deserve more consideration for their 

 good looks. Long may he live ! 



SMEW 

 {^Mergus albelhis) 



Adult male — Plumage, white ; a patch at the base of the bill, includ- 

 ing lores and eyes, lower portion of crest, middle of the back, 

 two crescentric, narrow lines on the side of the breast and outer 

 edge of the scapulars and rump, black, with greenish reflections 

 on the head ; upper tail-coverts, gray ; middle wing-coverts, 

 white ; greater coverts, black, tipped with white ; tail, dark gray ; 

 sides and flanks marked with fine, black, wavy lines on a gray 



