302 



The Pintail 



are to be seen. Yonder white-backed Lesser Scaups seemingly should be 

 with their deep-diving relatives, the Canvasbacks, but they nest in the 

 grass at the edge of these shallow sloughs. 



But what are those slender, elegant ducks, long of neck, agile of 

 movement, the male an exquisite gray and white, with a long spike of 

 tail held up carefully out of the water? At last I have found the Pin- 

 tail ; and it is well worth a journey of more than two thousand miles to 

 visit it in its summer home. It is a cluck of distinction, clad with grace 

 and beauty, with sprightliness of disposition, and a rakishness of form 

 which together prove it of distinguished lineage. It is the greyhound of 

 the anatine world, rather than the mastiff or collie. One might even 



, 



J 



PINTAILS FLYING NEAR MARSH ISLAND REFUGE. LOUISIANA 



Photograph by H. K. Job, New Year's Horning, 1911 



venture to term it the "sportiest" of the ducks active, alert, possessed 

 of real "style" ; and a although moderate in weight, of sufficiently good 

 food-quality. Though fairly shy and watchful, it is not hard to surprise 

 it in the small reedy pools which it often frequents. The flock is likely 

 to bunch when alarmed, and travels with ranks compact. 



In one of these alkaline ponds, on a small grassy island, where 

 grew also a few low bushes and clumps of weeds, I found a nest, prob- 

 ably of one of those pairs I had watched through my glass. It was the 

 fifth of June, a cold, stormy day. I had waded to the island, sinking to 

 the tops of long boots, and had begun to beat about, hoping to start 

 some duck from her nest. Suddenly there was a flutter and a spring, 

 and a grayish duck with sharp tail-feathers shot into the air, and hurtled 



