THE GADWALL. n s 



marbling and delicate crescent-like markings of the forepart of the body, will be 

 clearly apparent. When the male is feeding head downwards, the black upper and 

 lower tail-coverts are very conspicuous. Professor Newton (" Dictionary of Birds," 

 Part I, p. 298) says: "its appearance on the water is very different" (from the 

 Wild Duck) ; " its small head, flat back, elongated form, and elevated stern, 

 rendering it recognizable by the fowler, even at such a distance as hinders him 

 from seeing its very distinct plumage." It also floats higher and sits more lightly 

 on the water than the Mallard. When coming inland to feed at " flight," their 

 note, which is a " hoarse croak," and the whistle of their wings will distinguish 

 them from the Mallard. 



Mr. Southwell, in its continuation of " Stevenson's Birds of Norfolk," Vol. Ill, 

 says : " I have never seen the nest of a Gadwall far from the water, it is generally 

 placed either in a very boggy spot, or in a tussock of sedge, by which it is raised 

 above the shallow water itself. In such situations it is constructed of dead grass 

 or sedges, and very sparingly lined with down." The usual complement of eggs 

 seems to be from ten to thirteen, creamy-white, or almost a greenish-white, in 

 colour. The male Gadwall is in size about equal to the female Wild Duck, and 

 weighs about two Ibs. or a trifle over. 



Audubon says : " it dives well on occasion, especially on being wounded. 

 At the appearance of danger, it rises on wing, whether from the ground or from 

 the water, at a single spring, in the manner of the Mallard, and, like it also, 

 ascends almost perpendicularly for several yards, after which it moves off in a 

 direct course, with great celerity. I have never seen it dive on seeing the flash 

 of a gun ; but when approached, it always swims to the opposite part of the pond, 

 and, when the danger increases, flies off. On being wounded, it sometimes, by 

 diving, makes its escape among the grass, where it squats and remains concealed. 

 It walks with ease, and prettily, often making incursions upon the land, when the 

 ponds are not surrounded by trees, for the purpose of searching for food. It nibbles 

 the tender shoots and blades of grasses with apparent pleasure, and will feed on 

 beech nuts, acorns, and seeds of all kinds of graminese, as well as on tadpoles, 

 small fishes, and leeches. After rain it alights in the corn fields, like the Mallard, 

 and picks up the scattered grains of maize. The common notes or cry of the 

 female have a considerable resemblance to those of the female Mallard ; but the 

 cry of the male is weaker, as in that species. 



In the State of Minnesota, no species is a more regular resident, arriving by 

 the 25th of March, and leaving occasionally as late as November. Dr. P. L. Hatch 

 says : " incredible numbers of this species are slaughtered for the fall markets, 

 and are regarded only second to the Mallard in value for the table. It is a gamy 



