280 FEATHEEED GAME 



and western country. Earely do they encroach 

 upon each other's territory except in the south 

 during the winter months. This species ranges 

 to northern Labrador in summer, hoth coast 

 and interior, in winter going south to Florida 

 and rarely beyond. 



Because of its abundance and the excellence 

 of its flesh the Black Duck has long been the 

 commonest of the wildfowl in our markets, but 

 happily the laws now prevent the sale of this 

 fine bird in much of the northern range of its 

 family in the United States. He stays with us 

 the year around. When in winter the inland 

 lakes and streams are closed to him and he is 

 left to the cold mercy of snow and ice, nothing 

 daunted, he betakes himself to the coast, and in 

 the never-frozen waters of the sea finds food 

 in abundance and, for the most part, safety. 

 At such times the Black Duck lives in the larger 

 bays and the open ocean, during the day time 

 sleeping contentedly on the water if the weather 

 is fair, and seeking shelter from the storms on 

 the lonely isles and in cozy nooks on the deep- 

 sea ledges, flying into the tide-waters and visit- 

 ing the "mussel-beds" each night to feed, per- 

 haps coming ashore for fresh water so needful 



