i 



214 lawson's history 



as we suppose, from Canada, and the lakes that 

 lie behind us. 



Widgeons, the same as in Europe, are here in 

 great j)lentj. 



"We have the same teal as in England, and an- 

 other sort that frequents the fresh water, and are 

 always nodding their heads. They are smaller 

 than the common teal, and dainty meat. 



Shovellers (a sort of duck) are gray, with a black 

 head. They are a very good fowl. 



These are called whistlers, from the whistling 

 noise they make as they fly. 



Black flusterers — some call these old wives. 

 They are as black as ink. The cocks have white 

 faces. They always remain in the midst of rivers, 

 and feed upon drift grass, carmels or sea nettles. 

 They are the fattest fowl I ever saw, and some- 

 times so heavy with flesh that they cannot rise 

 out of the water. They make an odd sort of noise 

 when they fly. What meat they are I could nev- 

 er learn. Some call these the great bald coot. 



The w^ild turkies I should have spoken of when 

 I treated of the land fowl. There are great flocks 

 of these in Carolina. I have seen about Ave hun- 

 dred in a flock ; some of them are very large. I 

 never weighed any myself, but have been in- 

 formed of one that weighed near sixty pound 

 weight. I have seen half a turkey feed eight hun- 

 gry men two meals. Sometimes the wild breed 

 with the tame ones, which they reckon makes 

 them very hardy, as I believe it must. I see no 



