OCTOBER 259 



frequent the same feeding grounds, and eat the same 

 food ; but it is a remarkable thing that while the flesh 

 of scaup and tufted duck is rank and, if not uneatable, 

 next door to it, very unpalatable, the pochard, or dun- 

 bird, is one of the most excellent of ducks on the table. 

 It is the only diving duck known to me which is worth 

 powder and shot. 



It is a curious thing that mallard, shoveller, widgeon, 

 and teal surface-feeding ducks have never learned to 

 dive for food. The accomplishment would be useful to 

 them ; for one may often see them poking their heads 

 and shoulders far under water in search of food, with 

 their tails sticking aloft in a very unbecoming manner. 

 Perhaps it is not considered good form in high aquatic 

 circles to dive under the table for victuals ; that surface 

 ducks can dive let any one testify who has pursued a 

 wounded mallard in the water. But in society they 

 don't do it, though they are not above gobbling up 

 the floating fragments dislodged from the bottom by 

 the diligence of their diving associates. 



LX 



A lovely object is before my eyes as I write. It is 

 only a common spindle tree (JSuonymus 

 europceus) about twelve feet high, but every 

 spray of it weighed down with its curious four-lobed 

 berries of a peculiar shade, which it would be hard to 

 match in other fruits. They are not crimson, like 

 haws, nor scarlet, like hips and holly berries, nor orange- 



