308 
SWIMMERS. 
France, Italy, and Sardinia. In the United States it appears 
to be generally rare. A few of the young birds are seen in 
this vicinity, and Wilson met with it in the interior on Seneca 
Lake in October, and in February at Louisville on the Ohio, 
and near the Big Bone Lick, in Kentucky. 
The Gadwall breeds in the woody districts of the remote 
northern fur countries of Canada. In the North of Europe it 
inhabits the vast nishy marshes, and in Holland, where it is 
common, associates in the same places with the Wild Duck, or 
Mallard. These birds are very much esteemed as game, are 
very alert at diving and swimming, and plunging at the flash 
of the gun, are obtained with difficulty. They are very timor- 
ous, lurking in the marshes by day, feeding only in the twilight 
of the morning and evening, and often till some time after 
nightfall; they are then heard flying in company with the 
Whistlers, and, like these, obey the call of the Decoy Ducks. 
Their cry much resembles that of the common Wild Duck ; 
nor is it more raucous or louder, though Gesner seems to have 
meant to characterize its note by applying the epithet strepei-a, 
which has been adopted by succeeding ornithologists. The 
food of this bird consists of small fish, shelly mollusca, insects, 
and aquatic plants. 
The Gadwall breeds from the Middle States to the lower fur 
countries. It is rather rare to the ea.stward of the Mi.ssissippi 
valley, but in that region it is abundant north to the Saskatchewan. 
This is a freshwater Duck, and its favorite resort is the marshy 
margin of a retired lake or stream, where it dozes through the 
hours of the day, and at night feeds among the tangled rushes. 
It is a shy bird and wary, but sociable with its kind, and may be 
found in company with other wild fowl. It swims light and buoy- 
antly, but never dives unless wounded, and its flight is strong and 
swift. 
