and the Maritime Provinces. 139 



change in the wind, or other trifling occurrence, will cause them to sink to 

 the bottom where they will remain as motionless as so many stones. 



As we paddled slowly down the lake, we passed very near a loon that 

 was out fishing. He evidently knew that we were friendly, for he mani- 

 fested but little of the distrust and wildness that the bird usually displays. 

 As we paddled by him he swam along leisurely, his handsome spotted back 

 showing plainly in the sunlight. 



With a laughing quaver he finally disappeared beneath the surface, and 

 shortly after was again seen, ten rods way, with a small fish in his mouth. 



" Loon, he great fish-killer," said Francois ; " eats lots of urn." 



" Yes," I replied ; " but somehow I never begrudged the old fellow his 

 share." 



" The ducks on the fresh water lakes do not kill many fish, I suppose," 

 added the Doctor. 



" No," I answered ; " they feed on seeds, water plants and animal- 

 culae, but, excepting the mergansers and sheldrake, are not fish-eaters in 

 the fresh water." 



" The beautiful wood duck nests in old stumps, I believe," said the 

 Doctor. 



" It does ; it is a common species all over the United States and is 

 found in Mexico and the West Indies. It rarely visits the salt water, but 

 prefers fresh-water ponds and streams ; in nut-bearing forests it is frequently 

 found, particularly if there is a water course among them ; it is fond of 

 beech nuts and acorns, and forages for them through the early autumn. It 

 is in most localities called the ' summer duck,' and its technical name is Aix 

 sponsa. It is by far the handsomest of our ducks, and its beauty is not 

 excelled by any other species. 



" It is rarely found in parties of more than six or eight, and usually is 

 seen only in pairs. It is easily domesticated, and in confinement becomes 

 very familiar. It is, among epicures, a great favorite. The nest of the 

 summer duck is usually built in the top of an old stub or hollow stump, 

 sometimes twenty feet high, and the mother bird carries the duckling to 

 the ground by taking its wing or back of its neck in her mouth, and flying 

 down to the foot of the tree. I have often seen it in retired localities, and as 

 it flies through the green foliage its beautiful plumage shows most strikingly." 



" It is a handsome bird, but the American widgeon, or ' baldpate ' is 

 also a beautiful species," said the Doctor. 



" Yes, that is also a bird of very elegant plumage ; it is the Mareca 

 Americana of ornithologists. It is far from being as common as the 

 summer duck, and like that species it prefers the fresh-water ponds to the 

 bays; and as it feeds on seeds and tender aquatic plants, it is in high 

 repute, gastronomically." 



