THE PRAIRIES 



323 



Blue-winged Teal also nested here, and one of the dis- 

 tinctive experiences of bird study in this region, is the flush- 

 ing of wild Ducks which, with a truly surprising flutter, 

 tumble from their nest at your feet, invariably speeding 

 your circulation with a bound. Under these conditions, 

 there is no time for that careful and complete covering of 



Blue-winged Teal's Xest 

 The downy covering raised to show the eggs 



the eggs with a downy blanket, which precedes the more de- 

 liberate departure from the nest, for feeding. 



Admirably as the incubating Duck, feigning to be wound- 

 ed, attempts to draw you from her nest, the performance 

 is not even a poor imitation of her actions when she wishes 

 to cover the retreat of her brood. A Mallard one day gave 

 an excellent exhibition of this habit. At her first call of 

 alarm the young birds scattered widely, no two, apparently, 



