Duck-sbooting 1 1 3 



arrive in the spring on the journey north in large 

 numbers. The birds are seen at this time pass- 

 ing high over the marshes, where they feed at 

 night, often with the black duck and mallard, 

 leaving early in the morning. The flight is like 

 the widgeons', but quieter, their whistling not 

 as noticeable. They have the same habit of 

 alarming other ducks, and spoil many chances 

 for the hunter. The pintail resort to large open 

 bodies of water, especially when much disturbed 

 by hunting; but they are surface feeders and do 

 not dive for food; grasses and various vegetable 

 matter growing in the shallow water form the 

 diet. The flesh is excellent, and the bird is 

 highly esteemed for the table. When wounded, 

 they will dive to effect escape, but prefer to skulk 

 and hide. On the New England coast the pin- 

 tail is rare, nor is it common on Long Island. 

 Only a few instances of its occurrence in Con- 

 necticut are known to the writer, and these were 

 birds killed- at dusk with black duck. 



This species is known by a variety of names, 

 sprigtail, spiketail, spindletail, spreetail, pigeon- 

 tail, and smee. 



WOOD DUCK 

 (Aix sponsd) 



Adult male — Head with a crest reaching well down to the back, of 

 green and violet metallic hues ; a narrow white line at the angle 

 of the maxilla passes over its edge and reaches to the end of the 



