296 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING. 



nineteen or twenty inches, and a weiglit of twenty-two 

 ounces or more. The female, whicli is more brownish 

 than black, has a white face, and is nearly as large as the 

 male. This species has less fear of approaching the land 

 than most of its deep-water kindred, and this enables 

 persons to tole it with facility, for its curiosity is over- 

 whelming. Though fond of the same food as the can- 

 vas-back and red-head, its flesh is not so good, yet it is 

 fit to grace any table. The black-heads can be seen in 

 vast flocks in some of the regions adjoining the Pacific 

 Ocean ; and when they are mingled with other deep-water 

 ducks they may be readily distinguished at a distance by 

 their low and rapid flight and close grouping. When 

 wounded they try to escape by diving and swimming long 

 distances under water. They are prompt in coming to 

 decoys, and as prompt in leaving, if their confidence has 

 been imposed upon. They do not answer their whirring 

 call well, so it is useless to try it except when they are 

 passing by the ''stools," but it may then attract their 

 attention even if it is only rudely imitated. 



The lesser scaup duck {F. affinis), is a small edition of 

 the preceding, the habits of both being almost exactly 

 alike, except that the latter goes further south in its win- 

 ter wanderings. It breeds in vast numbers near the 

 streams, lakes, and sloughs of the Northwest, and ac- 

 companies its larger kindred all over the country. 



The ring-neck, or tufted duck [F. coUaris), which de- 

 rives its name from the ring of orange-brown on the neck, 

 is common in several of the Western and Southwestern 

 States, but it is not pursued as actively as the preceding 

 species, its flesh not being deemed equal to theirs. It 

 flies rapidly, clusters closely, dives and swims well, and 

 is rather tenacious of life. It does not decoy as well as 

 the majority of its congeners, and its voice is difficult of 

 imitation. It is rather shy, yet it may be readily shot 

 from covert while it is feeding in the stubble fields or in 



