RED HEAD. 155 



grass and weeds placed loosely together. The eggs are 

 a creamy grayish white, and usually ten or a dozen make 

 the full complement. This Duck has been found breed- 

 ing near Calais, Maine, and also on Lake Horicon, Wis- 

 consin, and it is thought that at one time it nested in the 

 Sacramento Valley. 



The Red Head makes its appearance, arriving from 

 its northern resorts, where it has passed the summer, in 

 October in large flocks. The birds fly high, in a wide 

 V-shaped line, and proceed with great speed, accom- 

 panied by a whistling swish of the wings, so that one, 

 even at a considerable distance, can clearly 



" Hear the beat 

 Of their pinions fleet, 

 As from the land of snow and sleet 

 They seek a southern lea." 



The flocks rarely alight at first, even when there may 

 be numbers of Duck congregated on the water, but 

 traverse the length of the sound or lake as if recon- 

 noitering the entire expanse, and trying to select the best 

 feeding ground. After having passed and repassed 

 over the route a few times, the flock begins to lower, 

 and gradually descending, at length the wings are set 

 and the birds sail gradually up to the chosen spot, 

 usually where other Duck are feeding, and drop in their 

 midst with many splashings. But while this is the usual 

 method adopted by newcomers, sometimes the pro- 

 gramme is changed and the birds, attracted by a large 

 concourse of their relatives, particularly if the day be 

 calm and the sun shining with considerable heat, will 

 suddenly drop from out the sky in a rapid zigzag course, 

 as if one wing of each Duck had been broken, and they 

 cross and recross each other in the rapid descent, their 



