AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 375 



their beauty, for they are considered to be the best table bird among 

 the entire duck family. Although every fall and spring ihey are hunt- 

 ed with great vigor in localities where they most frequent, they are 

 still one of the most abundant ducks that we have. That so many of 

 them are left is probably due to their activity and swiftness of flight, 

 they being so speedy on the wing that it tests the skill of the best of 

 marksmen to bring them down. 



Besides being very swift and powerful fliers, they are extremely 

 active and graceful when on land. They have none of the waddling 

 manner common to most of the ducks, but run about with an ease and 

 .-agility that is not surpassed by the Snipe family. They are essentially 

 fresh water ducks and few of them are found along the sea coast. 

 Watery meadows, lakes, ponds, and rivers are their favorite grounds, 

 especially those where flags and rushes are abundant to serve both as a 

 natural screen from the observation of enemies and as good feeding 

 grounds. They live for the greater part upon various grains, duck- 

 weed and other water plants, grass, seeds and water insects. They 

 ■obtain most of their food at night, especially when the weather is fair 

 and the moon is present. In the day time large flocks of them assem- 

 We upon some quiet body of water and pass the time sleeping, where 

 with heads laid on their backs, and the bill tucked beneath the feathers 

 they float about like so many corks. In localities where they are much 

 "hunted they do not often take such quiet naps, but are upon the move 

 •nearly all day long, only stopping to rest when they find a natural hid- 

 ing place where hunters rarely stray. 



They commence to come from the North about the end of Septem- 

 l3er, and some time during March pass through the United States again 

 •on the way to their breeding grounds. Their migrations for the most 

 ;part are performed at night although flocks that have not succeeded in 

 -finding a favorable stopping place may be still seen upon the wing by 

 •day. When migrating either by day or night, they fly at a high ele- 

 -vation. 



When startled while upon the water, they immediately spring up- 

 wards, using both their feet and wings and are in full and speedy flight 

 at once. They never rise by running along the water a few paces as 

 most ducks do, but clear it at the first jump. When moving from one 

 locality to another they fly in a straight line, but at other times they are 

 very erratic in their flight. A flock feeding peacefully, may suddenly 

 «tart up, wheel about in z'igzag flight, then as suddenly return to their 

 starting point. 



