144 With Rod and Gun in New England 



the small bays and estuaries of creeks ; it is also found in many of our 

 large tracts of fresh water, where it feeds on the tender leaves and roots 

 of the various aquatic plants, small fish, and aquatic larvae. It often asso- 

 ciates with the canvas-back. It may be quickly distinguished from that 

 bird by its bluish bill, which is towards the end black, and is about two 

 and a quarter inches long, and by the color of its irides, which is yellowish- 

 red ; the bill of the canvas-back is black, the length is three inches, and it 

 is very high at its base, and its irides are deep red in color. When feeding 

 with the canvas-back, the red-head eats the stems of the plant of which the 

 other species eats the roots. In the opinion of epicures this accounts for 

 the difference in flavor of the two birds." 



" I think the fish-eating ducks, as a rule, are very indifferent birds on 

 the table," remarked the Judge. " The blue-bill coot is, perhaps, one of the 

 best of them." 



" I agree with you," said the Doctor ; " the blue bill, or scaup-duck, is 

 far from being unacceptable." 



This duck, the Fulix marila of scientists, is pretty common on our 

 coast, but is not what may be termed abundant. According to Wilson, it 

 is met with along the whole extent of the Atlantic coast, and is a regular 

 visitor to our western lakes. It arrives about the tenth of October, " asso- 

 ciates in large flocks, and on its first appearance is easily decoyed, but 

 after having been frequently shot at becomes more shy." It passes the 

 night on the flats in flocks, seldom or never on the marshes, and is very 

 quick in discovering the best feeding-grounds. I have had this duck come 

 to my decoys when stooling black ducks, but that was in a heavy, easterly 

 blow, and other sea ducks, such as white-winged coot, came in at the same 

 time. When wounded it avoids pursuit by diving. When a large flock 

 comes up to decoys, if fired into while on the wing the birds scatter in all 

 directions, and a second shot, therefore, must be made at a single bird. 



There are two species of blue-bill coots ; the little blue bill, the Fulix 

 affinis, is considerably smaller than the other, its length being two inches 

 less. It is known by many gunners as the creek broad bill, because it 

 more generally frequents the creeks and streams, while the other prefers 

 the more open water of the bay. Like the other it feeds on small fishes 

 and crustaceans, and it has many of the habits of its larger relative. 



" The golden-eye is another well-known species," said the Doctor. 



" It is a common species : it is the Clangula glaucium Americana of 

 naturalists, and is called by gunners the ' whistler,' ' whistle-wing,' and 

 'great-head.' Its name is given it on account of the loud whistling of its 

 wings as it passes through the air. It feeds on small fish and various 

 aquatic plants, and, while living in the interior, is a fine-flavored bird on 

 the table ; but wb.en killed on the coast is fishy and strong. Its flight is 



