196 THE ANGLER AXD HUXTSMAX 



usually advisable. Where seed has been sown in fall, the 

 bottom may freeze and the seed will be carried off with the 

 ice floes of spring. Ducks and other water-fowl, as well as 

 some fishes, eat the seed, and the less it is exposed to their 

 depredations the better. Seed is likely also to be buried by 

 deposits of mud, or swept away by currents, especially iii 

 freshets. These dangers may be avoided by sowing late 

 enough in spring to avoid the worst spring floods, but in 

 time to get the belief it of the first good growing weather ; 

 that is, when the temperature of the water approaches 60 

 degrees F. 



Wild Celery and its Value as Duck Food: 



When we think of wild celery, we also think of the caii- 

 vas-back duck, for the two are closely associated in the an- 

 nals of American sport. It is a well known fact that the 

 canvas-back is very fond of the subterranean propagating 

 buds of this plant, yet the assertion that the flavor of the 

 canvas-back is superior to that of any other duck and that 

 this depends on a diet of wild celery is not proven, according 

 to Mr. McAtee, to say the least. 



The scaups, or bluebills, and the redhead are also very 

 fond of wild celery, and are fully as capable of getting the 

 delicious buds as is the canvas-back. Several other species 

 get more or less of this food. Mr. McAtee finds that even 

 the scoters on a Wisconsin lake in fall lived almost exclu- 

 sively on it for the time. All parts of the plant are eaten by 

 ducks, but the tender winter buds and rootstocks are most 

 relished. Wild celery buds can usually be obtained only by 

 the diving ducks, such as the bluebill, red head, canvas- 

 back, and scoters. The nondiving species, like the mallard, 

 black duck, baldpate, and the geese, get an occasional bud, 

 but they more frequently feed upon the leaves. Wild fowl 

 not thus far specifically mentioned which also feed upon 

 wild celery include the wood duck, pintail, ruddy duck, huf- 



