356 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



and departed satisfied, to repeat the demonstration at the next tavern. Reader, 

 you have the recipe; and should know by this time how to cook a merganser. 



Description. "'■Adult male. Breast, with broad cinnamon band, streaked 

 with black; head feathers lengthened. Female. Crown grayish brown, washed with 

 rusty. Chin and throat paler; rest of underparts and speculum white; back and 

 tail ashy." 



The Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatiis). 



This bird is also very common, being one of our best known tree breeders, 

 staying with us until very late before migrating. 



Description. "Adult male. A large circular black and white crest. Female. 

 A small cinnamon crest; head, neck and breast grayish brown; back blackish; 

 belly white." 



By some of our local sportsmen, this bird is known as the "hooded sheldrake." 

 It is smaller than the other mergansers, and is oftener found on ponds and 

 sluggish streams. 



The Mallard (Anas boschas). 



This is one of our commonest birds, breeding largely, when undisturbed, in 

 the marshes of the bays and among the islands. The mallard is the original 

 of our domesticated duck, with which it readily mates; and from the fact that 

 the mallard has the familiar quack of the barnyard duck there are times when 

 it is difficult to distinguish them. This similarity leads sometimes to ludicrous 

 mistakes, not to say costly ones also, on the part of amateur duck hunters, 

 to whom a duck is just a duck, and to whom the difference in the species is a 

 sealed book. 



A case in point occurred not many years ago in this immediate vicinity. A 

 couple of young hunters, from a city which shall be nameless, went duck shooting, 

 armed with the most approved weapons in the way of breechloaders, shooting jackets 

 of the best material and latest pattern, gorgeous gamebags, and, in short, all the 

 paraphernalia ever invented to make the taking of wild fowl at once a pleasure, 

 pastime and success. They were accompanied also by a well-trained retriever. 



Evidently, they had been informed by some friend, who had been here before, 

 of the best locality for game on which to exercise their skill; for without any 

 hesitation or inquiry of any kind they engaged a boatman to take them at an 

 early hour the next morning to a bay in a nearby Canadian island, where the 

 Anas boschas breeds numerously, and where in several instances it has been 

 known to liberally mingle its wild blood with its congener of the barnyard. 



