River and Pond Ducks 



alert and lively. Neither are they so shy as many of their com- 

 panions; for when come upon suddenly in the coves of the lake, 

 they usually row boldly out toward the centre, out of gun range, 

 and take to wing, if need be, rather than spend their whole day 

 dozing in the tall grasses on the shores as many others do. Not 

 that they may never be caught napping on the sand flats or in the 

 sedges when the sun is high, for all ducks show decided noctur- 

 nal preferences ; only widgeons are perhaps the boldest of their 

 associates. Open rivers, lakes, estuaries of large streams, and 

 bays of the smaller bodies of salt water attract them rather than 

 the sluggish, choked-up sloughs that shyer birds delight to hide in. 

 Instead of nesting close beside the water in the sedges, after 

 the approved duck method, the widgeons commonly go to high, 

 dry ground to lay from seven to twelve buff-white eggs in a 

 mere depression among the leaves that the mother lines with 

 down from her breast. Nests are frequently found half a mile or 

 more frorc^water. It is supposed, but not as yet proved, that the 

 mother carries in her bill each tiny duckling to the water, where 

 it is at home long before it feels so on land or in the air. At 

 various stages of the bird's development the plumage undergoes 

 many changes; but aside from those of age and sex, the baldpates 

 show unusual variability. However, Dr. Coues consoles the 

 novice with the assurance that "the bird cannot be mistaken 

 under any conditions; the extensive white of the under parts and 

 wings is recognizable at gunshot range." 



The European Widgeon (Anas penelope] has found its way 

 across the Atlantic and our continent, for it nests in the Aleutian 

 Islands as well as in the northern parts of our eastern coast. It 

 is occasionally met with in the eastern United States; and, al- 

 though it has a bald pate also, its blackish throat and the reddish 

 brown on the rest of the head and neck easily distinguish it from 

 its American prototype. 



102 



