116 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



pond grasses also grow in the ponds. More than twenty 

 years ago Mr. Herman Strater introduced the so-called wild 

 celery {Vallisneria spiralis). About six or eight years ago it 

 became plentiful there. Since that time the number of Ducks 

 on the island has increased slowly, and the increase of Red- 

 heads has been particularly noticeable. Mr. Brown says that 

 two thousand Redheads remained in Antires Pond during the 

 coldest weather of January and February, 1910, and that he 

 has seen more than ten thousand Ducks in Edgartown Great 

 Pond at one time, and perhaps two thousand in the other 

 ponds in the same period. 



Mr. A. C. Bent of Taunton believes that the Redheads 

 have increased fifty per cent, in the region with which he is 

 familiar. Dr. L. C. Sanford states that thirty or forty thou- 

 sand spent the fall of 1908 near Watch Hill, R. I. Mr. 

 Israel R. Sheldon writes that they were formerly plentiful at 

 Point Judith, but are now " scattering " there. The birds 

 appear every year on their feeding grounds in October and 

 remain for the rest of the fall, if not all winter. In migration 

 the flocks fly high in air, with whistling wings, usually in a 

 wide, V-shaped formation. Each flock, as it first comes in, 

 passes and repasses over a favorite resting place, until, satis- 

 fied that peace and safety are assured, the birds settle on the 

 water. Sometimes, when a large flock is already assembled, 

 members of the incoming migrating flock will fall with roaring 

 wings, zigzagging down from the sky like thunderbolts thrown 

 by a giant hand, crossing one another and merging in inde- 

 scribable confusion, until, having nearly reached the water, 

 they set their pinions and sail down to join their kindred. 

 While they are on their winter feeding grounds they keep in 

 good training by flying about early in the morning and late 

 in the afternoon. On such occasions they generally fly high 

 and in irregular lines. 



The greater number of all the Ducks of this species appear 

 to breed in western Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

 Comparatively few now nest in the northern United States. 

 A few may nest east of Hudson Bay, as they have been re- 

 ported from James Bay, Labrador and Maine. It seems 



