on Wild Ducks from an Incubator.



101



though some are very much alike. Canvasbacks and Redheads

ai-e the “ yellow-birds ” among the duck tribe, but have distinctly

different bills. The Pintailis a blackish and white striped bird. Gad-

wall and Baldpate are identical, save that the former has light

brownish feet, the latter dark slaty. The Blue-winged and Green -

winged Teals are similar, save for a trifling difference in marking on

the head, and the Green-wing has a smaller, shorter bill. The

Scaup is a very dark bird, mostly blackish brown, with a slight

crest. The Shoveller is always distinguishable by its enormous bill.

And so on.


Owing to our late arrival, we found it desirable to try to

complete our stock by catching some ducklings already hatched in

the wild state. If anyone imagines this an easy task, a few

attempts will disabuse him of the notion. I shall never forget my

own futile attempts to chase broods of Canvasbacks and Redheads.

When I first saw them out on open waters of the larger bays, I

thought surely I could catch some, as they were quite young. But,

as I paddled up fairly near, they began to skitter rapidly over the

surface, and then they plunged. Not a sign of them could I see

again, for the surface was ruffled, and they only raised their bills to

breathe, swimming long distances under water to the edge of the

rushes, where they were absolutely safe.


Finally, we were lucky enough t'o enlist some French-Indian

half-breeds, who are wonderful paddlers and hunters. Whenever

we saw their rig', in the evening, driving towards our camp, I always

felt a thrill of excitement, knowing that something of great

interest was near. Besides some small ducklings, they caught some

magnificent specimens, fledged all but the flight feathers, of Canvas-

back, Pintail, Shoveller, and Mallard.


It w T as exciting to hear them tellhow they caught the Canvas¬

backs. Two or three canoes would single one out from the rest and

chase it. For nearly an hour it would dive and skulk. It took

keen eyes to see where it stuck up its bill and expert paddling to

keep up with it. They simply tired it out, and at last the poor

duck, unable to dive any longer, came to the surface and meekly

allowed the nearest boat to pick it up.


We had little trouble in taming and rearing most of these



