Water Fowl 57 



The sportsman will find nearly all the ducks of the 

 East along shore in Southern California : the mallard, 

 gadwall, baldpate, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, 

 cinnamon teal, spoonbill, sprig, wood duck, red-head, 

 canvas-back, wing widgeon, burfle-head, American 

 scooter, white-winged scooter, surf-scooter, and ruddy 

 duck, some of which, as we might say of crow, are 

 more pleasing to the eye than the stomach. Of geese 

 there are the lesser snow goose, greater snow goose, 

 American white-fronted goose, Canada goose, Hutch- 

 in's goose, black brant, and trumpeter swan. 



There is a constant coming in, on this splendid 

 shooting ground. Here is the cinnamon teal with beau- 

 tiful colouring ; its gray wings striking the air like 

 whips, its bars of celestial blue, its velvet beak blazing 

 like a jewel, the humming-bird of the duck tribe. It 

 is one of the commonest of Southern California ducks, 

 found along shore all summer, spring, and fall, going 

 farther south in midwinter. In May, its nest and 

 eggs may be found in many of the protected lagoons. 

 How far this fine bird goes to the south is not known, 

 but it is seen in Central America in February, and is 

 one of the most attractive of its kind. To see it pad- 

 dling in some snug harbour, shut in by tules, its tints 

 blazing in the sunlight, is a picture too beautiful to 

 always interrupt when there is other game to be had. 



The mallard is a favourite duck of the people, and 

 one of the cleverest. It comes up the little channel, ap- 

 proaches the decoy, then has a presentiment (surely it 



