DUCKS, GEESE, ETC. 
69 
species of ducks moult into a special body plumage, closely resembling 
that of the female, and known as the “eclipse plumage.” It is retained 
for only a short time, giving way to the autumn plumage which is retained 
throughout the winter, and with wear and some renewal usually serves as 
the basis of the following spring or breeding regalia. While the eclipse 
plumage is carried the birds remain in the deepest recesses of the marshes 
or well out in the open water where no danger can approach unseen. So 
secretive are they at this time, that even in the best of duck grounds they 
are seldom seen, and specimens in this plumage are difficult to secure 
and rare in collections. Another peculiarity of the summer moulting of 
this order is that all the wing feathers are shed at once and the birds are 
flightless until the wings are grown again. Most other birds lose and 
replace the flight quills gradually, corresponding feathers being progressively 
dropped from each wing so that balance is not disturbed and the power 
of flight is never lost. However, it is a mistake to imagine that such 
wingless birds are helpless. Marsh-inhabiting ducks are expert hiders and 
can elude the eyes of most of their enemies, and those that betake them- 
selves to open water at this time are such accomplished divers that they 
can evade most attacks that do not take them by surprise. 
By the time the legitimate shooting season has opened most ducks are 
well pinioned again and almost in full winter plumage, but enough changing 
and unchanged birds remain to make a confusing number of obscure 
plumages that greatly complicate identification . 1 
In certain northern localities the more primitive Indians and Eskimos 
formerly took advantage of this flightless season to make regular organized 
drives, against which the bird’s usual means of escape were useless, and 
numbers of “flappers” were taken and salted for winter use. Throughout 
the north the necessity for this is growing less, but there may still remain 
a few native communities where life is dependent upon such sources of food 
supply, of which they cannot be deprived without grim hardship unless 
some substitute is offered. However, although we must recognize this 
necessity at times in aboriginal inhabitants, it does not follow that strangers 
who enter such country for the purposes of personal gain or adventure 
should be allowed to rely on its scanty resources. Such adventurers should 
provide themselves beforehand against the known conditions of the country 
they are about to enter. 
One of the most serious problems of the conservationist is the terrific 
mortality that occasionally overtakes large numbers of ducks on certain 
inland lakes. Much of the prairie water and some of the interior waters 
of British Columbia contain large amounts of various salts in solution. 
Such waters are colloquially called “alkaline,” irrespective of the chemical 
nature of their impurities. Most of the sloughs and lakes are mere catch- 
basins without outlet and are in consequence dead water. Alkali is con- 
stantly being washed into them and the water-level is governed only by 
evaporation. The consequence is that the alkali content becomes con- 
centrated. At the end of long, dry spells, many lakes of formerly large 
superficial area are represented by small pools of stingingly bitter water 
of complicated chemical content. Many of these waters become highly 
poisonous to certain species of ducks that flock to them from neighbouring 
drying sloughs and pools, and they perish by hundreds and are washed 
1 Another common source of confusion is the prevalence of a red rust coloration that often occurs on various 
parts of the head or body, and is common to many species of Ansercs. It is due to an iron deposit from the water 
the birds inhabit and should be distinguished from normal plumage coloration. 
