474 General Notes. [^ t k 



British Columbia. — Comox (Nov. 9 and 15, 1903). 



Mackenzie. — Langton Bay, arm of Franklin Bay (Sept. 12, 

 1910); Franklin Bay (June, 1905); Mackenzie River Delta (July 

 28, 1908; Sept. 8, 1909); mouth of Horton River, Franklin Bay 

 (spring or summer, 1908). 



Yukon. — Mouth of Firth River (Aug. 1, 1914 [nestling]). 



California.— Monterey (Jan. 26, 1897; March 15, 1897); 

 California (no further data given). 



Texas.— Red River in Clay County (Dec. 17, 1880). 



Washington. — Tacoma (May 2, 1914); Seattle Harbor (May 

 12, 1896). 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Cause of the "Fishy " Flavor of the Flesh of Wild Ducks.— Occa- 

 sional specimens of wild ducks, apparently of any of the species, prove upon 

 trial to have an unpleasant taste, which usually is called " fishy." The 

 general conclusion in such cases is that the particular bird involved ac- 

 quired its unusual flavor by feeding upon fishes. In other words fishiness 

 is caused by eating fishes and everything that lives upon fishes is fishy. 



To the writer it has long seemed that this theory, statement and con- 

 clusion are open to challenge. In the first place the majority of the species 

 of wild ducks ordinarily eat very few fishes and secondly it is entirely 

 improbable that an individual wild duck would depart so widely from the 

 habitual feeding habits of its kind, and for so long a time, that as a result 

 its flesh would be tainted. 



Let us inquire into the matter of fish-eating causing fishiness. The 

 importance of plentiful and cheap sources of protein has led to investiga- 

 tions of the value of fish as food for various animals, and among other 

 points, that of the influence of this food upon the meat and other products 

 has received attention. Investigations of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture are summarized x as follows: " From the feeding experi- 

 ments it appears that there has not been just cause for the assumption that 

 the feeding of fish meal of good quality imparts a fishy taint to such products 

 as milk, butter, eggs and meat if fed in reasonable amounts in con- 

 junction with other foods." 2 



' Weber, F. C. Bull. 378, p. 20, 21, Aug. 22, 1916. 



2 This conclusion is corroborated in the following' publications also. Live Stock Journ. 

 (London), 77, 1913, No. 2039, pp. 463-4; Rev. Centro, Estud. Agron. y Vet., 7, 1914, No. 

 72, pp. 258-270; Bull. 610, U. S. Dept. Agr. Dec. 7, 1917, pp. 9. 



