RUDDY DUCK. 221 



Often there is a white strip below the eyes, running 

 almost from the base of the bill to the back of the 

 head. The chin is white. The throat and neck are 

 brownish-gray, fading to silvery on the breast and 

 belly. The upper parts are grayish-brown, mottled 

 and speckled with reddish. The wings and scapulars 

 are dark brown; the quills of tail and wings as in the 

 male ; the bill is bluish, often blackish, and the legs and 

 feet, bluish-gray. The young male is still duller. 



The ruddy duck is found throughout North Amer- 

 ica, and is one of the gentlest and most unsuspicious of 

 our birds. It is resident in Northern South America, 

 and yet it frequents the northern portions of the con- 

 tinent as far as the 58th parallel. It is abundant in 

 California and equally so on our South Atlantic coast 

 and occurs often in Massachusetts during the spring 

 migration. 



The ruddy duck, although it takes a long time to 

 rise from the water, is a strong flier. It is, however, 

 very much at home on the water, a rapid swimmer and 

 a very good diver. The ruddy is a most gentle and un- 

 suspicious little bird, and appears to pay no attention to 

 the gunner, though he may be standing in plain sight, 

 as it darts down and splashes into the water among the 

 decoys. Until within a few years, gunners in our 

 South Atlantic waters never shot these little birds, 

 which were accustomed to come to the decoys and feed 

 among them and then swim or fly away unmolested. 

 Of late years, however, this has become a fashionable 

 bird for the table, and, bringing good prices, is eagerly 



