The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-14
SMART CONNECTICUT DUCKS.
Drake Captures = Pickerel-A Wise
Little hroadbni-An Inquisiive Duck
Learns About Water Snakes

Little BroadbNl-An Inquisiive Duck
Learns About Water Snakes.
ANsoN1A. Conn.,, Aug. 13-Ducks are not
looked upon as birds Of great intelligence but
recent events prove that some OF them are
above the average. Up In Seymour flock OF
ducks make their home on Little River This
stream used to be known as famous place
for pickerel. but it wns flshed so rersistently
that 1t became barren. Yet few monster fl III
remain there. and men who know their haunts
sometimes tempt them now hut rarely do they
take the hook. One morning last week George
smith was wandering along the bank and in
shallow SPOT he saw pickerel lying rs still as
II carved from stone Mr.. Smiths sporting
blood boiled. but he hadn't even pin and
piece OF Irvine with which to capture tho big
fellow. so he stood and looked at him. calcu-
lating In his mind whether the fish would
stay there until he had time to 90
for his tackle. While the mental proc
ess was going on the flock OF ducks
came swimming down the str cam. Their ex-
cursion was cut of by piece OF wire ncttin.
stretched across the stream to keep them
from going over tho dam. The pickerel lay
just under the netting. When tho loader
OF the flock came floating down he ap-
parently espled the fish. for he turned and
auacked to his followers. and they separated
showed his INTEL gence. He made wde de-
tour and swan down to the netting some dis
lance away from TIE pcksIrei which arparentIy
drew t to hS s until wsn
within five feet OF it he seemed to he stricken
Nh in 9Rs eg and It huns % as
PEELED himself right across the nose q tho
was . sudden rush. tho old drake cavS
q triumphant Qunck that could he heard
Tho other a MSch nsd 1
quietly awaiting Developments in a cove w.
fisherman. and BY beating the waite. with thor
wings and making racket they helped their
ie eaf wb asn9 ERE hs vas W 2Go
r. circle; but his eonpan,ons TTGiMediSL
!Ss nssssi s IL sHs rs s"Ssi
t Srnaa d4aEs sspaak I'S hs
watchers, seIthpsiasm wrecked the hopes Of
and rushed forward to aid thu ducks. This
was fatal. The impetposIty of hii movement
lis sR and It opp sr back na the wat tor.
wager ne receipts Of his soda i5Hniain Tor !
was eighteen inches long and would weigh
three rounds; ,.,
'NCl oOutu W luuSct u lHNJ - tHhlns "
brood, OF fancy, ducks which have become
quite tam Tea anu ID, Thow great d%d OF nieii.
to know her voice. responding only to her pe-
culiar cluck. The other day She was showing
them of to some friends and fed them, with
80 large. In fact that the litlo broadbill that
got 1t couldn't manage It. He took it aud triod
to break 1t with his feet. but was not strong
enough: Then he rubbed it un against = bii:
satisfactory results. He cont empated tho sit
uation for a minute. then picking np t 40 c.ack-
or In his bill he ran to tho water and held IL to
soak for minute two. When it had become
soft no ate il. and returned for more,
A ,Norwalk ducks .pryins curiosity got tho
bird into trouble. II was u haf-grown thing,
and when 1t saw a water snake slowly swim
ming across Clarkes River 1t wanted to en-
anime the reptile and srsif |, was good to
eat. i padded down 70 the snake andtricd to
fatal hut for some boys IN boat near BY, Tho
snake made dash icr the duck. gral, led
rs foot. aud dragged il under water. The
a an, loud cries # alarm amt t'c I'll ;uirs u
the hnaSe and Loaf II with their oars mi; it
released its hold aud started for the holtoU al
the river. Tho duck returned 10 tho bank
with Its curiosity satisfied.