The Water-fowl of the Pacific Coast 515 



In the southern part it is rare except as solitary 

 specimens, though I have seen seasons when in 

 places they would make five per cent of the bag. 

 But it is not an interesting bird like its cousin of 

 the East. 



The most universal duck on this coast is 



THE MALLARD 



The mallard is found everywhere, from coast 

 to mountain top and ^rom Alaska far into Lower 

 California, wherever there are a few square yards 

 of water out of reach of the gun. And even 

 where its thunders are most frequent he often 

 takes his chances in dodging, relying on his supe- 

 rior acuteness, which is fast becoming a highly 

 respectable reliance. His improvement in climb- 

 ing skyward at the first suspicion of a hat in the 

 reeds, or the first glimpse of a boat, is in almost 

 exact proportion to the improved range of guns, 

 while the period of his return is in about inverse 

 ratio to the increasing speed of fire. And his 

 swift upward whirl is often too much, even for 

 the best repeating gun, and sometimes even makes 

 one doubt the efficacy of a double gun. He has 

 dropped the old habit of skimming the tops of 

 the reeds so low that he cannot see what is in 

 them until too late. He has also learned the 

 unprofitable nature of fanning the shore-line with 

 his wings. He now winnows the breeze far above 



