Merganser. 33 



ing was good. All summer long they roam and gad 

 about, free from care, and happy as summer campers, 

 leaving mother birds meanwhile to feed and educate 

 their offspring. Once only have I seen a drake shar- 

 ing in the responsibilities of his family. I watched 

 three days to find the cause of his devotion ; but he 

 disappeared the third evening, and I never saw him 

 again. Whether the drakes are laz}? and run away, 

 or whether they have the atrocious habit of many 

 male birds and animals of destroying their young, 

 and so are driven away by the females, I have not 

 been able to find out. 



These birds are very destructive on the trout 

 streams ; if a summer camper spare them, it is 

 because of his interest in the young, and especially 

 because of the mother bird's devotion. When the 

 recreant drake is met with, however, he goes promptly 

 onto the bill of fare, with other good things. 



Occasionally one overtakes a brood on a rapid 

 river. Then the poor birds are distressed indeed. 

 At the first glimpse of the canoe they are off, churn- 

 ing the water into foam in their flight. Not till they 

 are out of sight round the bend do they hear the cluck 

 that tells them to hide. Some are slow in finding 

 a hiding place on the strange waters. The mother 

 bird hurries them. They are hunting in frantic haste 

 when round the bend comes the swift-gliding canoe. 



