576 



GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



and the rootstocks unless they steal them from the diving 

 Ducks, but all parts of the plant are eaten by Ducks, and it is 

 a very important duck food. Mr. McAtee found that even 

 the Scoters, or so-called "Coots," on a Wisconsin lake in fall 

 lived mostly on this plant, and the real Coot {Fulica americana) 

 is fond of it and commonly dives for the buds. The non-diving 

 Ducks feed mainly upon the leaves. 



Fig. 23. — Wild celery. (Reduced from Reichenbach.) (From 

 Circular No. 81, Bureau of Biological Survey, United States 

 Department of Agriculture.) 



Wild celery is found in some of the best ducking ponds of 

 New England. It is a submerged plant, with long, flat, flexible 

 leaves of light translucent green, from one-fourth to three- 

 fourths of an inch in width. A leaf held up to the light shows 

 numerous fine, straight, parallel veins running along its entire 



