WiLD-FoWL OF WlLD-FoWL 



tion, and canopied by the surrounding reeds being 

 drawn over them, and even twisted together. In 

 fact, some looked almost exactly like a larger type 

 of Rail's nests. As has been the experience of 

 others, we never could catch Mrs. Ruddy on the 

 nest. She always skulks off, and allows not even 

 a glimpse of herself. 



The other two kinds usually remain sitting on 

 their eggs, flushing sooner, however, than the prairie- 

 nesting Ducks, when the intruder comes within ten 

 to fifteen paces. 

 The Redhead is 

 a great layer. 

 Some days I 

 f ou nd half a 

 dozen nests, most 

 of which had as 

 many as ten eggs, 

 several times fif- 

 teen, and once I 

 flushed a Red- 

 head from 

 twenty-two eggs the largest set that I have ever 

 seen in the nest of any bird. The Canvasback usu- 

 ally had ten or eleven eggs, sometimes as few as 

 seven. One nest that I found was in a very large, 

 open clump, away out in the w 7 ater. I saw it first 

 when the bird flew at some distance from me. There 

 were six eggs, and I visited it a few days later to see 

 if she had laid more. Mrs. Canvasback was asleep 

 on the nest, with her bill resting on her breast. I 

 stood within ten yards and watched her for several 

 minutes. Think of it ! the famous Canvasback of 



"THE RUDDY DUCKS WERE ONLY JUST LAYING, AND 

 HAD ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO TEN EGGS . . . 

 WELL HIDDEN AWAY IN THE REEDS" 



203 



