THE PINTAIL 315 
ing plumage. The Pintails were great mys- 
teries to the fishermen-gunners who shot them. 
They were the first of that species that they had 
seen in nearly forty years of gunning on the 
coast, where deep water ducks had been their 
principal game. 
The Pintail breeds from the northern States 
of the Union as far to the north, probably, as 
does any duck of the fresh water. It is a citi- 
zen of almost any part of the northern hemi- 
sphere and wherever found is much prized by 
duck shooters. Though not considered numer- 
ous anywhere in the east, certainly their most 
natural dwelling place would be in the lakes 
and ponds of the Maine woods where they may 
be more abundant in the breeding season than 
generally supposed. It winters on the coast 
line of the South Atlantic States, and on the 
Gulf coast to Central America. 
In the acquaintance of most gunners, aside 
from the seafowl, which from their greater num- 
bers are better known, there are very few kinds 
of ducks; and in this somewhat uncertain knowl- 
edge any webfoot of doubtful pedigree, which 
is not plainly wood duck, black duck, mallard 
or teal, is lumped into the general family of 
