DIPPERS AND DECOY-DUCKS. 279 



It is very seldom in winter, during any weather, that 

 sport is not to a certain extent marred by these little beau- 

 ties, more especially by the dippers, for they are such little 

 rogues, thieves, and impudent withal, that whenever they 

 see decoy-ducks set out they are bound to visit them. The 

 reason they do so is this : they imagine that the imitation 

 birds are a veritable flock of canvas-backs feeding, and they 

 themselves being indifferent divers, wait upon the surface 

 for the larger species to bring up the much-prized water- 

 celery, when, before the lately submerged bird has got the 

 water out of his eyes or recovered his breath, the little 



BALD PATES. 



pilferer has purloined the fruits of his labor. This is no 

 idle fancy ; Audubon vouches for its truth, and I have 

 many times heard it confirmed by persons who spend their 

 lives upon the Chesapeake supplying Baltimore with wild 

 fowl. A cock-dipper, for such is the name the male bird 

 receives, in the parlance of that locality, is truly a beautiful 

 bird, almost rivaling the wood-duck in the brilliancy of his 

 plumage. When he raises his handsome crest he is par- 

 ticularly attractive. 



For the table dippers are superior to teal, and that is pay- 

 ing them no mean compliment ; for who that is an epicure 

 can be ignorant of the delicacy of flavor of the latter ? 



