REDHEAD 235 



quently enjoyed in the belief that it is the world-famous Canvas-back 

 that is being washed down with that glass of old burgundy. 



On its migrations the Redhead travels in V-shaped formations and 

 moves with great speed. Elliot (1898) says: "The flocks rarely alight at 

 first, even when there may be numbers of ducks congregated on the 

 water, but traverse the length of the sound or lake as if reconnoitering 

 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 ducks 

 are feeding, and drop in their midst with many splashings. But while 

 this is the usual method adopted by newcomers, sometimes the program 

 is changed, and the birds, attracted by a large concourse of their rela- 

 tives, particularly if the day be calm and the sun shining with consid- 

 erable heat, will suddenly drop from out the sky with 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 fall accompanied by a 

 loud whirring sound, as the air is forced between the primaries. On 

 such occasions the flock is mixed all up together in a most bewildering 

 manner, until, arriving a few feet above the water, the wings become 

 motionless and the birds glide up to and alight by the side of their 

 desired companions. 



"Early in the morning, and again late in the afternoon, the Redhead 

 regularly takes a 'constitutional.' The flocks that have been massed to- 

 gether during the night or the middle of the day, rise from the water, 

 not all together but in companies of several dozen, and stringing them- 

 selves out in long, irregular lines, each bird a little behind and to one 

 side of its leader, fly rapidly up and down, at a considerable height 

 over the water. Sometimes these morning and evening promenades are 

 performed at a great elevation, so that the movement of the wings is 

 hardly perceptible." 



Another curious habit of the Redhead is that flocks lying out in the 

 deep water will suddenly "boil up," rising into the air for a few feet, 

 and as quickly resettle, without apparent reason of any sort for the 

 commotion. Like most Diving Ducks, in rising from the water, it pat- 

 ters along for a bit before clearing, but once on the wing its flight is 

 fast; it looks shorter and darker than the Canvas-back and its wing- 

 beats are somewhat more rapid. A flock of Redheads, kept in sight for 

 a distance of 50 miles from a parallel moving train, were timed at the 

 speed of 42 miles an hour. Had these been chased, as by an aeroplane, 

 their speed would undoubtedly have increased, at least for a certain 

 distance. 



Like Canvas-backs, when feeding, these Diving Ducks are much 

 set upon by Baldpates and American coots, which, being poor divers 

 themselves, and being exceedingly fond of the roots of aquatic plants, 

 gather among the flocks of Redheads to rob them of the food which they 

 bring to the surface. The thieving Baldpates do, however, make repara- 



