Wild-Fowl of Wild-Fowl 



some time spent in paddling about and dressing 

 their feathers did they fly ofif. 



In my visit the past season to the lakes and 

 sloughs of this splendid prairie region, I renewed 

 my acquaintance with the Ducks and Geese, and 

 made some further observations. As it happened, 

 we found several nests of the Canada Goose, this 

 time in marshy sloughs, large platforms of stems 

 built in areas of broken-down rushes that made a 

 foundation above the surrounding water. It was 

 June, and we were too late, for only an addled egg 

 or two remained. The Geese lay usually early in 

 May, or even in April, it is said. 



The Ducks seemed to be about as numerous as 

 before. On the islands they held their own well, 

 though not so many Scoters were nesting there. 

 But the presence of large flocks of them in dififer- 

 ent bays showed that great numbers of them were 

 breeding in places along the shores, doubtless, from 

 others' observation, up on the adjoining prairie. I 

 noticed more mixed Ducks' sets than ever. We 

 found here nests of Gadwall, Baldpate and Scaup 

 that had each one or two Scoters' eggs in them, 

 and these first three also intermingled with one 

 another. A Ring-necked Scaup had a nest with 

 ten eggs. On June 22 I came upon a sight that I 

 had never witnessed before. A Shoveler Hushed at 

 our feet from the grass, and there were ten young 

 in the nest, all dry, and ready to take to the water, 

 which they tried to do as soon as their mother left 

 them. One of the party put his hat over them 



201 



