(Plate X.) 
THE RED-HEAD. 
Fuligula ferina var. 
The American Pochard, familiarly and widely known as the 
Red-head, whose portrait stands before the reader's eye, is a va¬ 
riety only of the Old World Pochard or Dun-bird, It is scattered 
in its spring and fall migrations over the whole of North America, 
but more particularly in the Eastern States, and is common, 
though not always abundant, in most suitable localities. 
Making its first appearance from the north in November, it 
resorts to the reedy estuaries of creeks along the coast, and dis¬ 
tributes itself inland, — seeming, indeed, to prefer land-locked 
waters, and being one of the ducks oftenest dropping to the shot 
of the gunner on the Great Lakes and the marshy ponds of Wis¬ 
consin and Minnesota. Haunting the same general localities as 
the far-famed Canvas-back, with which it is often seen in company, 
and feeding upon the same delicate grasses and sw'eet-scented 
aquatic herbs, it is not surprising that its flesh should approach in 
flavor that of the choicest of ducks; nor is it to be wondered at 
that the Red-head finds its way without discovery, through ignor¬ 
ance or deceit, from the gunner’s boat to the market stall, and 
thence to the dining-table, commanding a high price all the way, 
under the name of Canvas-back. The similarity of plumage helps 
the deception, but the present species is readily identified from the 
other by the difference in the color of the eyes, which are yelloVi'- 
ish-red (while those of the other species are deep full red) as well 
as by the form of its bill. If there is any difference between the 
palatable qualities of the flesh of the two ducks in favor of the 
Canvas-back, it arises probably from the fact that the latter eats 
the juicy roots of the rushes and water-weeds, while the Red-head 
is content with stems, - and gets these not by diving for them, 
but by stealing from the Canvas-backs when the latter have labo¬ 
riously brought the vegetable to the surface, But this food failing, 
they adopt a diet of frogs, tadpoles, mollusks, etc. In the West 
they are said to feed largely on corn and wheat, which they glean 
from the fields, and on wild oats and the seeds of the water-lily. 
As the cold weather advances, the northern parts of its range 
are more or less deserted by these ducks, and they assemble in 
large flocks on more southern waters. Chesapeake Bay in mid¬ 
winter is, therefore, well populated by them, in company with many 
other species of water fowl. “Of all wild-iowl,” says an English 
writer, “ a flock of Dun-birds is the most agreeable to the sports¬ 
man's eye. They are the most stupid of the diver race. 1 have 
Americana. (Eyt.) Cs. 
even seen them, after having been driven from their feeding- 
ground, return in the face of the shooter, who had only lain down 
without any covering or concealment whatever ; they have begun 
diving again within thirty yards, and of course given him a capital 
shot. I never wish for assistance in maneuvering any other kind 
of water fowl, but these may be herded like sheep; and, if feeding 
on one side of a bay, you have only to conceal yourself at the 
other, and send your man round to where they are diving. The) 
will most likely come straight towards you, and, beginning to feed, 
will probably every five or ten minutes draw all together with 
their heads up. Now is your time to fire if vou have the good 
fortune to be within shot ; but should vou prefer two birds in the 
hand to waiting for their knitting together, you may have a capita) 
right and left when they conic up from diving. I. however, should 
be loath to lose the opportunity of the sitting shot.'' 
In Europe these ducks arc eagerly sought by poulterers for sale 
in the markets; and a curious method used to be employed in 
taking them, as follows: “ A decoy for Dun-birds is called a 
flight-pond, and has nets fastened to tall, stout poles twenty-eight 
or thirty feet long, At the bottom of each pole is a box fixed, 
filled with heavy stones, sufficient to elevate the poles and nets the 
instant an iron pin is withdrawn, which retains the nets and poles 
flat upon the reeds, small willow boughs, or fttrfce : withinside the 
nets are small pens made of reeds, about three feet high, for the 
reception of the birds that strike against the net and fall down ; 
and such is the form and shortness of wing in the Poachard, that 
they r cannot ascend again from their little enclosures if they would; 
besides, the numbers which are usually knocked into these pens 
preclude all chance of escape from them by the wing. A decoy- 
man will sometimes allow the haunt of Dun-birds to be so great 
that the whole surface of the pond shall be covered with them 
previous to his attempting to take one.When all is ready, 
the Dun-birds arc roused from the pond ; and, as all wild-iowl rise 
against the wind, the poles in that quarter arc unpinned, and fly 
up with the nets at the instant the Dun-birds begin to leave the 
surface of the water, so as to meet them in their first ascent, and 
are thus heat down by hundreds.” 
The Red-head flies northward in March, separating from all 
other ducks, and seeking breeding places among the lonely mo¬ 
rasses of Arctic America. Its nests and eggs are not remarkable. 
