GADWALL. 



C SSENTIALLY a fresh-water bird, this Duck, while 

 met with generally throughout North America, is no- 

 where so abundant as are the Widgeon, Sprigtails, Mal- 

 lards, etc., with which it is accustomed to associate. It 

 has a wide dispersion, and is found throughout both the 

 northern hemispheres. In North America it is known by 

 various names, those most commonly employed being, 

 Creek Duck, Speckle-Belly, Gray Duck, Welch Drake, 

 German Duck, Gray Widgeon, and Canard Gris in 

 Louisiana. It is a shy bird, retiring in disposition, keep- 

 ing to the small creeks, borders of marshes, and fresh- 

 water ponds. It is a very swift flyer, and resembles very 

 much the Widgeon when in the air, and dives with equal 

 celerity and address. It hides among reeds and tall 

 grasses and passes much of its time seeking its food close 

 along the shores, where for the greater part of the time it 

 is concealed by overhanging bushes or grasses. Gener- 

 ally it goes in small flocks, does not readily come to de- 

 coys, and when it does draw near them it is probably in 

 the company of a small flock of Widgeon. The Gadwall 

 breeds in the United States, as far south as Colorado and 

 about the lakes at a high elevation, and in the Arctic re- 

 gions east of the mountains. The nest, composed mainly 

 of feathers and dry leaves, is usually placed in a marsh, 

 and the eggs, of which the number ranges from eight to 

 twelve, are a uniform cream color. When paddling 

 about the marshes, or flying at no height above them, as 

 if seeking some particular spot it could not readily find, 



