6 
(•«• fig* 2) In some oases the oap sheaTes had heen pulled off and jpaths 
were trodden about many of the shocks* The rioe inside which the daoks 
had not been able to get at indicated that the yield of grain had been 
heaTy* There was some indication of injury from frost along the lower 
border of .this field bat this was oomparatirely sliest* Where the kernels 
had been touched by frost the grain had not developed and this the ducks 
had not touched as the halls were empty* A few shocks had been pulled 
down but this was restricted tp .a< small ares when there was no ice* The 
•i 
loss here was estimated at about two- thirds of the crop* The damage was 
4ue in part to blackbirds but the greater propox^lon, probably nine-tenths* 
4 
had been done by wild ducks* Uallard feathers were soattered about in 
4 
the fields and much duck dung composed almost entirely of rice hulls was 
found* 
According to authentic statements* Balph iihodes had lost about 
1200 bushels of rioe through wild duoks in a field one and one-half miles 
• ' 
from the Baeye plaoe noted above# liore damage would have reaiiltad here 
but threshing started soon aft^ar the duoks oama in so that part of the 
orop was saved* 
Duoks oame in to another field nearby according to Otto Jensen 
and destroyed ten shocks of rloo In one night while thxwshlng was going 
• ^ 
on* The harvest was ooiq)leted in this field the following day or more 
haxn probably would have resulted on the following night* 
Charles Spioer stated that iSallards had attacked rice in two fields 
belonging to him located not far from the Basye place* Damage resulted 
to 30 acres in one strip and 16 acres in another* Ur* Spioer said that 
he did not see these fields personally but that the incident had been 
