196 WILD-FOWL 



Continent. States like Ohio, which are vainly striv- 

 ing to introduce the pheasants of China by means of 

 expensive hatcheries, are blissfully unmindful of the 

 fact that at less expense they might save their own 

 water-fowl, birds of far more economic value, by State 

 preserves to include the worthless marsh-lands and 

 the great canal reservoirs. 



The ruddy-duck likes all waters, salt and fresh, and 

 is still fairly abundant at times on the Chesapeake Bay 

 and the Southern sounds, where it was neglected in 

 favor of the big canvas-backs, red-heads, and scaups 

 until recently when it became fashionable to eat rud- 

 dy-ducks, and they now bring good prices in the mar- 

 kets where it is legal to sell them. 



The ruddy has large feet and swims swiftly; is an 

 expert diver and often sinks out of sight without div- 

 ing, like the hell-diver. It swims about on the water 

 with its tail elevated, and presents a ludicrous appear- 

 ance which is unmistakable. It flies in good-sized 

 flocks, very swiftly, like the teal, and comes to the de- 

 coys with a rush, dropping into the water with a 

 splash. The ruddy-ducks are often called boobies. 

 On many of the bays they are shot from a line of 

 skiffs which approach them and force them to fly 

 out over or past them. The statute of North Caro- 

 lina provides that it shall be unlawful to skiff or 

 ring-shoot any boobies between November 10 and 

 February 15. 



