WILD DUCKS 117 



former to fresh water. There are also other popular designa- 

 tions, such as, for the first class, fresh- water, pond, or marsh 

 ducks, and, for the second, salt-water, bay, or diving ducks, 



Classified. Following is a list of our native wild ducks, 

 classified as above: 



River Ducks: mallard, black duck, Florida duck, 

 gadwall, baldpate, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, 

 cinnamon teal (western), shoveller, pintail, and wood duck. 



Sea Ducks: redhead, canvasback, greater scaup duck, 

 lesser scaup duck, ring-necked duck, golden-eye, Barrow's 

 golden-eye, bufHehead, old-squaw, harlequin duck, eider, 

 northern eider, king eider, velvet scoter, white-winged 

 scoter, surf scoter, and ruddy duck. The latter in habits 

 partakes of both classes. The scaups are popularly known 

 as "blue-bills" or " broad-bills," and the scoters as "sea- 

 coots." 



Edible Ducks. Of these classes, the first comprises most 

 of the edible species. In the second category the canvas- 

 back, redhead, ruddy duck, and scaups are esteemed for food, 

 especially the first two. The rest are more or less strong 

 and fishy, though eaten by those who like them. There are 

 also the mergansers, also called sheldrakes or fish-ducks, 

 which are in still another class, and are rather dubious for 

 eating purposes. The river ducks are especially the kinds 

 to propagate artificially, though beginnings have been made 

 with a few of the sea ducks, especially the redhead. 



Quarters for Wildfowl. A small pond of some sort is 

 the key to the situation. If only a few ducks are to be kept, 

 it may be very small, a mere puddle. It is well, however, to 

 provide for change of water. Stagnant water in hot 

 weather is not good, and is more likely than anything else 

 to start distemper, especially if the birds are at all crowded. 

 An ideal arrangement is a small pond with an inlet and out- 



