Wild-Fowl of Wild-Fowl 



Though the Scaups are classed scientifically 

 among the "Sea Ducks," they seem to me to be 

 found almost as much on fresh water as on salt. 

 A great many of the Greater and Lesser Scaup 

 frequent the large ponds, and take good care of 

 themselves, not minding the decoys nor allowing 

 themselves to be approached. I have seen, and 

 taken, the Ring-necked Scaup occasionally. The 

 other Sea Ducks that come into the ponds, espe- 

 cially during the easterly storms, do not fare so well. 

 I refer to the three Scoters and the Oldsquaw, or 

 Long-tailed Duck. They seem bewildered, and will 

 not usually leave, though it cost them their lives. 

 The gunners soon see them, and paddle toward 

 them down -wind. The foolish Ducks wait for a 

 fusillade in the water, and then secure another, ris- 

 ing toward the boat. At length all are killed but 

 stragglers, which are followed up and shot sepa- 

 rately. Last fall, on October ii, I happened to be 

 in Berkshire county, Massachusetts, near Lake Buell, 

 and began to hear accounts of wonderful Duck- 

 shooting in the lake that day. Almost every family 

 in the community had Ducks hanging up in the 

 shed, — Surf and White-winged Scoters. There had 

 been a storm the day before, and toward night an 

 immense f^ock of these Scoters, probably lost and 

 wearied, settled down into the lake. IVIany were 

 killed that night and the next day. A hundred 

 and fifty-eight was the number of "casualties" 

 reported. Wild Geese are also addicted to similar 

 wanderings and disasters, especially in sleet storms, 

 during their flight. At such a time a flock of 

 them, when I was a boy, descended into our gar- 



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