6o Ways of Wood Folk. 



there is more or less migration all winter. The great 

 body of ducks moves slowly southward as the winter 

 grows severe ; but if food is plenty they winter all 

 along the coast. It is then that they may be studied 

 to the best advantage. 



During the daytime they are stowed away in quiet 

 little ponds and hiding places, or resting in large 

 flocks on the shoals well out of reach of land and dan- 

 ger. When possible, they choose the former, because 

 it gives them an abundance of fresh water, which is a 

 daily necessity ; and because, unlike the coots which 

 are often found in great numbers on the same shoals, 

 they dislike tossing about on the waves for any length 

 of time. But late in the autumn they desert the ponds 

 and are seldom seen there again until spring, even 

 though the ponds are open. They are very shy about 

 being frozen in or getting ice on their feathers, and 

 prefer to get their fresh water at the mouths of creeks 

 and springs. 



With all their caution, — and they are very good 

 weather prophets, knowing the times of tides and 

 the approach of storms, as well as the days when 

 fresh water freezes, — they sometimes get caught. 

 Once I found a flock of five in great distress, frozen 

 into the thin ice while sleeping, no doubt, with heads 

 tucked under their wings. At another time I found 

 a single bird floundering about with a big lump of 



