I 

 DUCKS. 69 



I have never been able to find a nest, but I am told that 

 they build in a hollow stump, or in the fork of a large 

 tree, near the water. They bring out about eight or ten 

 of a brood, and manage to carry them from their lofty 

 birthplace to the water in their bills, I presume. In the 

 fall the sportsman frequently comes across them when 

 black-duck shooting. They are tamer than the latter, 

 and much more easily shot. They are excellent birds on 

 the table, and sometimes give very pretty sport in the 

 early fall as they rise out of the marshes and wild rice 

 swamps. 



The famous canvass-back (Aythya Vallisneria) is a visitor 

 to the Canadian lakes. This bird, which is considered 

 such a delicacy in the Southern States, is in Canada not 

 considered better than the black duck and two or three 

 other species. 



The pochard (Nyroca Ferina) ; very numerous on Cana- 

 dian lakes ; is often mistaken for the canvass-back, which 

 it resembles in appearance and flight. 



The widgeon (Mareca Americana) is very like our own 

 widgeon in habits. 



The gad wall (Chaulelasmus Streperus), the shoveller 

 (Spatula Clypeata), and the pintail (Dafila Acuta) are 

 three ducks known to the English wild-fowl shooter, but 

 which are very numerous on the Canadian lakes. The 

 blue-winged teal (Querquedula discors) and the green- 

 winged teal (Netiion Carolinensis) are both beautiful little 

 birds, and give good sport. 



To be a successful duck-shooter in Canada a man must 

 not only be a good shot, but he must be well up to the 

 habits of the birds ; he must know their haunts by day 



