1 
'l l ^ l 
1890 
Florida, 
Mar 7-15 Canaveral, ganana Creek. 
Seen only on March 1 3th and 1 4th. On the first of these two 
dates, I made a stand and set out decoys on a point between two 
large bavs, sending my man off with the boat to stir up as many 
Ducks as” possible . At least thirty Ruddy Ducks came past me in the 
course of two or three hours, flying singly, in £pirs, or in bunches 
of five or six, but never in company with other Ducks. Nearly all 
drew in to the decoys, some coming directly over them and attempt- 
ing to alight; others alighting out of gunshot and swimming in to 
them, 'rfheir flight was swift, somewhat erratic and invariably 
close to the surface of the water, in these respects resembling 
that of the Ensg- tailed Duck. Their appearance when on the wing 
was very peculiar and unlike that of any other Duck of my acquaint- 
ance, the wings appearing very straight and pointed, the tail long 
and sharp, the neck short, the bill held pointed at a slight angle 
downward. All the males had a white patch on the side of the heaa, 
but none were in full red plumage, although all had much chestnut 
mixed with brownish on the back and flanks. 
Although this Duck is so tame at the North, it seemed to be a 
shy and watchful bird here, rising far ahead of a boat and discov- 
ering me very quickly if I showed myseli in tne stand. A female 
which alighted outside the decoys and swam in to them uttered many 
times in succession a low Kek or Gac , ducklike in general charact- 
er but with a peculiar twanging or vibrating quality. This sound 
v/as not loud, but carried well. Wounded birds dove with great ad- 
dress, and* on reappear ing ^showed only the head above tne surface. 
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