148 With Rod and Gun in New England 



" The eider duck is another handsome bird," said the Doctor, " but 

 like the coots it has no table value." 



" Yes," I replied, " it is a species common to both continents. In 

 Maine it is often called the ' squam duck.' It is a beautiful bird in the 

 spring plumage, and every one knows of its valuable deposit of down that 

 it uses in the construction of its nest. 



" Like the coots it subsists on fish and molluscs, and its flesh is strong 

 and unpalatable. On the coast it is much sought after, particularly in the 

 bays and inlets of Maine, but almost solely because it is a large bird and 

 makes a handsome bag. It finds its way to the city markets, but I think 

 it is eaten only by those who have no discriminating taste. Hawkers often 

 carry these and the large coots about the streets, and they are probably 

 bought by the unwary seekers for ' wild duck.' " 



" Well," said the Judge, " among all the sea-fowl my preference lies 

 with a nice plump brant. I think it is one of the finest of all the species." 



" Yes, Judge, it is one of the best. I have found it in immense flocks 

 in the Bay Chaleur, where, as I before said, it feeds on the root of a sea 

 grass somewhat similar to that upon which the canvas-back subsists. I 

 have seen the beach for miles covered with the stalks of this grass which 

 the birds had torn up and eaten the roots. They are then in prime condi- 

 tion, and of almost as fine flavor as the canvas-back. 



anchor it as we did the first, after which we move away from them about 

 twenty-five yards and anchor the boat. Now we are ready, and as day- 

 light increases we begin to see the different kinds of sea-fowl moving to 

 their several feeding-grounds. 



" But here comes a flock of ducks straight in from sea where, resting 

 on the water, they have drifted a number of miles during the night with the 

 current. How eager they look as they see our decoys, which they suppose 

 to be their associates of the day before. If we do not shoot at them they 

 will light with the decoys or close by them. Soon, however, they recognize 

 the deception and, swimming with their necks stretched to their utmost 

 length, take wing and away. And so they will come and go in flocks of 

 from three or four to twenty-flve and sometimes more ; or perhaps two and 

 quite often only one will be seen at intervals until ten o'clock, when, if shot at 

 during the time, they will light on some other bed, a few returning all 

 through the day to see if we have left their bed or if their comrades are 

 feeding there. 



" Should it be in October, when the young birds are going south, no 

 amount of shooting will discourage them, and I have known the same flock, 

 after having been shot at, to leave the decoys, fly a short distance and return 

 the second and third time, although half or more of their number might be 

 dead or wounded. I have let the young birds alight with the decoys and 

 then watched to see what they would do. After sitting still a few moments, 

 some of them would edge up to a decoy sidewise, but just before the 

 instant for touching it they would find out their mistake, when they would 



