Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 501 



the ducks, the most easily baffled by any sudden emergency. When 

 they first arrive in the fall they are quite unsuspicious and many 

 fall an easy prey to the early gunners. Soon, however, they be- 

 come more wary, but never do they learn wisdom as do most other 

 ducks. More Canvasbacks than any other species were found 

 frozen fast in the ice in January. When a flock composed of sev- 

 eral species was frightened the Canvasbacks were usually the last 

 to take flight, and even then they rose not in a definite decisive way, 

 but slowly, hesitatingly, and at a long winding slant. While feed- 

 ing on the lake the Canvasbacks are most often associated with 

 redheads, little bluebills and coots; usually the Canvasbacks and 

 redheads would be somewhat segregated from the coots and blue- 

 bills. Favorite feeding grounds are in Outlet Bay, along the east 

 side of Long Point, off the Gravelpit, and about the south end. 

 They at first frequent those parts of the lake where the wild celery 

 is found. When it has all gone, and they have become somewhat 

 more wild, they will be found farther out on the lake, particularly 

 about the Flatiron and Weedpatch, where the broad-leaved pond- 

 weeds abound. 



Opportunity was afforded to examine the stomach contents of 

 several Canvasbacks. Most stomachs were empty or nearly so. 

 One contained only a tapeworm. Several of those obtained when 

 the pools froze over, contained little or no food, except fragments of 

 pondweed leaves. Those examined earlier in the fall had been 

 feeding chiefly on the stolons or winter-buds of Vallisneria. Those 

 examined later contained fragments of the bases of the leaves of 

 Vallisneria and some pondweed. No fish or other animal food was 

 found and it is not believed they feed to any extent upon anything 

 except vegetable food. 



Three obtained December 9, 1901, were very fat; one weighed 

 4 pounds, the other two 6 pounds. In the fall of 1902 they were 

 quite common and many were killed. One hunter, shooting from 

 a blind, November 5, 1911, got 15. During the season he got 42. 

 Another got 51, and still another, 9, in the first week of November, 

 1904. 



26. BIG BLUEBILL 



MARILA MARILA (Linnaeus) 



The Big Bluebill, Greater Scaup Duck, Scaup Duck, or Big 

 Blackhead, is apparently not common. It may be really more 

 abundant than it appears, as it is difficult to distinguish it in mass 

 from the little bluebill. Our notes record it on March 31, April 1 

 and April 7, 1901 ; October 31, 1902, when 3 were gotten, and 



