SHOA L- WA TER D UCKS. 20 5 



Dafila acuta.— \Jma. Pin-tail. Sprigj-tail. Sharp-tail. Water Pheasant. 



Color ; head and upper neck dark brown with green and purple 

 gloss, sides of neck with along white stripe ; lower neck and under- 

 parts white, dorsal line of neck black, passing into the grey of the 

 back, which, like the sides, is vermiculated with black. Tail, when 

 fully developed with the central feathers much projecting and nearly 

 equaling the wing in length, bill black, feet greyish-blue. 



The Pin-tail Duck is everywhere abundant in the United States, 

 excepting in the eastern districts where their favorite food is inac- 

 cessible to them. It is a freshwater species, although occasionally 

 secured in the creeks and bayous of the coast. They move in very 

 large flocks, and seem much the most abundant in the spring season, 

 associating with the Mallard, and often seeming to travel and feed 

 with the same flock for days. They are exceedingly fond of beech- 

 mast ; but in spring generally resort to partially submerged corn- 

 fields where food of various kinds is plenty. 



The flight of the Sprig-tail is much more rapid than that of the 

 Mallard, and resembles in its quick darting and wheeling motions, 

 that of the ubiquitous Old Squaw or Long-tailed duck of the 

 eastern coasts, Harel^a glacialzs. They are, perhaps, the most 

 graceful of the whole duck tribe. They are secured in the same 

 situations and by the same means as those employed in Mallard 

 shooting. They have a call-note, a low plaintive whistle of one 

 tone, two or three times repeated, which they will answer readily 

 upon its being well imitated ; Mallard decoys may be used, and the 

 Mallard call described heretofore. Sprig-tails are very plenty in 

 California. 



Chatdelasmiis strcperus. — Gray. Gadwall. Gray Duck. 



The color of the Gadwall is black and white, or whitish, the 

 plumage being barred or half-ringed with these two colors, middle 

 wing coverts chestnut, greater coverts black, speculum white, feet 

 orange-yellow, bill bluish black, weight about two pounds. 



This large duck is common in the United States, although very 

 unequally distributed. It is, perhaps, a more common resident 

 of Tennessee and Missouri, than any other portions of the coun- 

 try, Gadwalls are classed as a table bird, with the Mallard and 

 Redhead, and indeed in habit they much resemble the former, 



