The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-01-11
WITH THE WILD DUCKS.
The Common Varieties Can Rarely Be
Seen Closely.

The Common Varieties Can Rarely Be
Seen Closely.
By the river, the lake, and the
swamp, where the tall grasses and
reeds are signing in the wind. an in
teresting company of birds is gather
ing. Perhaps we have made the &C
quaintance Of some of them in spring
when they went north-they are the
wild ducks. Do not expect them to
allow you so close friendship as the
robin and other birds that people do
not often harm. For the ducks. you
remember, are great game birds, and
so they have a dread of everything
that looks at all like shooter. So
hide near the water and watch them
from a distance. If we keep still and
out of sight, they may come quite
close. Most Of the brakes are hand
somely colored, while the ducks are
generally grayish and look a good
deal alike at a little distance. When
you, see one distinctly marked, black
next to white, or any very dark and
light colors which meet without blend.
ing, you may be pretty sure it is
drake. Three Of the kinds we see
most often are shown in the heading
the scaup, the mallard. and the pin
tail. Others are the teal. which you
may know at a glance. they are so
small; the widgeon, wood-duck, shov-
eler, black duck, baldpate, golden
eye, bufaehead, and the mergansers,
or ffsh-duckS.
If you succeed in getting acquaint-
ed with several of these you will do
we'll. It needs patience and good eyes,
and if you can add to these an opera
glass, you will be still better fitted
for duck-hunting.
To stalk ducks near the shore in
open water, approach them by short
stages whenever all are under water
at once. A duck will usually remain
under water about half a minute; in
the meantime you have covered a hun
dred feet or more OF ground, and
concealed yourself Il as much as pos
sible, allowing only an opening to
watch from. Sometimes one finds a
feeding-ground where he can hide and
wait for the ducks to come. This is
the best way to observe them at close
r.7ge. I knew of a small pond, sur
rounded by willows and other bush
es, where scaup-ducks came every day
to feed. While waiting beside, the
pond I have seen a flock of ducks
sail down over the water only a hun
dred feet from me. then tu.n and,
coming back, repeat the performance.
AS they swooped down with set wings
and making a loud; swishing noise,
they were fine sight, well worth an
hours waiting. ...
Although ducks are very wary and
alert, they do not readily see danger
when they are about to alight in the
water. This appears to be rather
difficult act, for it seems to engage
their entire attention.
The most common kinds Of ducks
can rarely be seen closely. Even the
black duck is not often to be studied,
except at an aggravating distance. al
though he is found in every marsh. 1t
is a common saying that water leaves
no trail. But where some black ducks
had been pluming and summing them
selves I have, read the story very
plainly in the water. where numerous
small, downy feathers aoated and
clung to the grassy tussocks-
In a lagoon, in jackson Park, CHI
cago, where no shooting is allowed,
the ducks are remarkably tame;
though on Lake Michigan, quarter
of a mile away, they are hunted and
are wild. There are other places
wnere ducks find safe retreats from
shooters, and in these they soon be-
come very tame.-From Nature and
Science, in st. Nicholas.