602 THE PINTAIL DUCK. 



These birds, although wary on some occasions, are little afraid of the proximity of man 

 and his habitations, feeding boldly by day, instead of postponing their feeding- time to the 

 night, as is often the case with water-fowl. The length of the Widgeon is about eighteen 

 inches. 



WIDGEON, or BALDPATE (Mareca americana). This species inhabits the whole of North 

 America, and south as far as Guatemala. It breeds in the United States generally. It is a 

 straggler in Europe. In Dakota and Montana it breeds in abundance. Ball found it nesting 

 along the Yukon, with the Pintail. The length is twenty -one inches. The female is smaller, 

 with duller plumage. 



This is one of the finest species. Its plumage, without being extremely showy, is very 

 pleasing. It is common along the more southern portions of our Atlantic coast, being seldom 

 seen north of Long Island. The Widgeon, like some other ducks we have noticed, never 

 dives ; it therefore contrives to "hang around" the vicinity of the canvas-back, and when he 

 has brought up a goodly mouthful of the coveted wild celery, the Widgeon snatches a portion 

 away, thus, unwittingly, perhaps, contributing to its own improvement as an edible bird. The 

 "celery" being regarded as a cause of the prized flavor of the canvas-back, the Widgeon's 

 flesh, possibly, becomes somewhat improved by this diet. In New Orleans it is called 

 "Zuizin." In the Eastern and Western States it is Baldpate. Their flight is rapid, well- 

 sustained, and accompanied by the whistling sound of the wings. They move in flocks of 

 moderate size, and with little regularity as to their ranks. When first startled, they fly directly 

 up to a considerable height, and in a hurried and irregular manner. They walk prettily and 

 with ease. 



The ENGLISH WIDGEON (M. penelope) is occasionally found on the coast. An excellent 

 figure is here given. 



THE PINTAIL DUCK (Dafila acuta}, so called on account of its long and sharply-pointed 

 tail, is a winter visitor of moderate climates, arriving in October and departing in the spring. 

 The male is a very handsome bird, its head and neck being rich dark brown, its back beauti- 

 fully pencilled with black on a gray ground, and the throat, breast, and abdomen snowy -white, 

 and a line of the same hue running up the sides of the neck as far as the head. The length of 

 a male bird is about twenty-six inches ; the female is shorter, because her tail-feathers are not 

 so well developed. 



This species is native both to North America and Europe, breeding in high latitudes, and 

 migrating south to Panama and Cuba. "The Pintail is a 'river duck,' " says Dr. Coues, 

 "being far more abundant on the pools and streams of the interior than along either coast. It 

 is one of the earliest arrivals in the United States, passing our northern boundary early in 

 September, with the Teal, and becoming generally distributed during the following month. It 

 is one of the most elegant and graceful of our ducks, either on the land or on the water, 

 walking or swimming with the long, pointed tail elevated, and the thin, sinuous neck swaying 

 in all directions. It is shy and vigilant, but owing to its habit of clustering close in groups 

 about the margin of pools, where the reeds or brush-wood favor approach, it is sometimes 

 slaughtered in numbers with ease. 



" Few ducks exceed the Pintail in extent and regularity of migration. In the spring it 

 withdraws altogether from most parts of the United States to high latitudes to breed, and in 

 winter pushes its migrations to Panama." Mr. Dall says it is extremely common in the 

 Yukon district and on the marshes near the sea-coast. Hybrids of this species, with the 

 Mallard, are quite common, and have, it is said, proved fertile. 



Audubon says few birds exhibit more graceful motions than the Pintail on the water. Its 

 delicately slender neck, the beautiful form of its body, -and its pointed tail, which it always 

 carries highly raised, distinguish it from other species. It is found in company with 

 widgeons, teal, and mallard, usually on ponds. In the Middle States the Pintails are highly 

 prized for the table. 



