308 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING, 



second or third generation would manifest no desire to 

 become roamers. 



The ducks commence building their nests between 

 the middle of March and the first of May, according to 

 the climate of the regions where they dwell. The nests 

 are always near a stream, lake, pond, or slough, and are 

 as secluded as the ground will permit. They differ ma- 

 terially in construction, some being made of coarse grass, 

 while others are lined inside Avith soft, loose feathers. 

 The eggs number from ten to sixteen, and are like 

 those of the domestic variety in color, being a greenish- 

 blue. The flappers appear in May or June, and from the 

 moment of their birth until their death they seem to be 

 impressed with the idea that they have many foes. Even 

 when they are mere mites, they have the bump of cau- 

 tiousness so strongly developed that they often disappear 

 under water the moment they see a person, and when 

 they come to the surface they only show the bill, if pos- 

 sible; but if they get ashore, they do not care how much 

 of the body is seen, for they run as fast as they can on 

 open ground, and without piping, and plunge into the 

 first hiding-place they find. They are well feathered be- 

 tween the first and middle of October, and strong and 

 large enough to fly at a rapid rate for a long distance, so 

 that they afford good shooting. AVhen the birds congre- 

 gate in the autumn, they spread out in every direction, 

 and cover the country in such vast flocks that their num- 

 bers cannot even be estimated. When moving off to 

 feed, their loud squawking may be heard for an hour 

 or two in the morning, but they do not remain feeding 

 all day during fine weather, for, after partaking of 

 brealvfast, they return to their roosting-places until three 

 or four o'clock in the afternoon, when they sally forth 

 again in quest of a dinner. They are not always punc- 

 tual in their movements, for hunger does not compel 

 them to leave the duckery until sundown sometimes, and 



