Duck-shooting 89 



lined with rushes are the sites selected. Here 

 the nest is placed on the ground, constructed of 

 grass, and carefully concealed, the duck covering 

 her eggs well with down. The young birds are 

 fledged late in August. In North Dakota many 

 of the ducks seen in early September are gadwall, 

 young birds undoubtedly bred in the vicinity. 

 They leave before the first of October. In most 

 of the more popular duck-hunting resorts through- 

 out the United States, this bird is not as frequently 

 met with as other water-fowl. This, and the fact 

 that it does not decoy readily, makes it somewhat 

 of a stranger. The gadwall is found most often 

 in small flocks by itself or in the company of 

 widgeon. It feeds in the shallow muddy creeks 

 and pools on various kinds of vegetable matter. 

 The birds become very fat, and if shot from a 

 height the fall sometimes breaks open the skin. 

 The flesh is delicate and tender, but in localities 

 has a sedgy taste. On the wing the gadwall is 

 an imposing bird, the dark breast giving it a 

 black appearance. It is known by a variety of 

 names, such as creek-duck, speckled belly, gray 

 duck, gray widgeon, Welch drake, German duck. 



EUROPEAN WIDGEON 



(Mareca penelope) 



Adult male — Forehead and top. of head, white, sometimes buff, rest 

 of head rufous brown ; cluster of small green spots behind eye ; 

 chin and throat, black ; breast, pinkish brown ; back and sides, 



