Ducks, GEESE, AND SWANS. 245 
sometimes to be in great distress, flying about in an irregular manner, 
and for a considerable time over the same quarter, making a great 
clamor. On these occasions should they approach the earth and 
alight, which they sometimes do to rest and re-collect themselves, 
the only hospitality they meet with is death and destruction from a 
whole neighborhood already in arms for their ruin.” 
There are three narrow-billed ducks that are called 
in Eastern waters “ Sawbills,” or ‘“‘ Sheldrakes.” One 
is a buff-breasted bird, common enough in season 
on the sea-coast; another a red-breasted bird, that 
frequents inland waters much more than does the 
preceding ; and the “ Hooded” or “ Black-and-white 
Sawbill.” These are all very handsome species and 
of no value as food, being intolerably fishy. They 
enter into the list of what gunners call “ trash ducks,” 
and I do not wonder. 
The Sheldrakes all breed in the northern regions, 
and in the United States are strictly migratory. Of 
the thirty-four or five species of ducks there are 
some few that are strictly marine, a few that never 
seek salt water, and the rest find themselves equally 
at home, whether along our coast, on our lakes, or 
following the tortuous courses of our many rivers. 
In the Middle States the Mallard, Black Duck, the 
two Teal, the Widgeon, Sprig-tail, Golden-eye, and 
Wood-duck are all common to our inland waters, even 
going well upland and feeding on the mill-ponds. 
Occasionally, wild ducks remain within the boun- 
daries of the United States, but the great majority 
go into British America and nest in the northern 
wilderness. It is not improbable, however, that many 
of these birds, even so recently as two centuries ago, 
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