Duck-shooting 93 



Arctic Sea, rarely in the northern United States, 

 both east and west of the Rocky Mountains. 

 Wild lakes and rivers not much frequented by 

 other ducks are the spots widgeon choose for 

 their nests, which are placed on high dry ground 

 in the woods, sometimes half a mile from water. 

 The nest is constructed among the dry leaves, 

 usually at the foot of a tree, the eggs well covered 

 with down. During incubation the males collect 

 by themselves and moult, assuming through the 

 summer a dull plumage. In early October they 

 appear in Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota, choos- 

 ing the ponds and lakes of larger size. At first 

 they are shot in some numbers where there are 

 passes under their flight ; but they quickly become 

 shy and fly high over land. A little later we find 

 them throughout California and Colorado, and in 

 the valley of the Salt Lake. By the end of 

 October they appear on the Atlantic Coast. Here 

 the mouths of the larger rivers and bays of 

 brackish water are their haunts. As they keep 

 well out of range of the points and only fly high 

 over the marshes, it is difficult to kill them. At 

 times these birds associate with canvas-back and 

 black-heads, feeding on the grass the others dive 

 for, and hence the name poacher. In heavy 

 weather, with mallard and black duck, they come 

 on to the marshes within range of the blind. In 

 these instances the widgeon is usually the first to 



