The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1906-01-10
WITH THE WILD DUCKS:
1ne Common Varieties Can Rarely Be

Seen Closely.
by the river, the lake and the
swamp, where the tall grasses and
4eeos are signing in the wind. an in
,ereS'ms company of birds is gather.
>ihs' Perhaps we have made the ac-
quaihtance of some of them in spring
"neh lhey went north-tncy are the
WIG ducks. Do not expect them to
allo" you SO close a friendship as the
ropln and other birds that people do
ho' often narm. For the ducks. YOU
iel'emDcr, are great game birds, ana
~ they nave dread of everything
lilat looks at all like a shooter. So
hlde near the water and watch them
from distance. If we keen still and
out OF sight, they may come quite
e'oSe. MoSt OF the brakes are hand
somely colored, while the ducks are
generally grayisi and look good
zeal allke at little distance. When
you see one distinctly marked, black
next to white, or any very dark and
night colors which meet without blend.
ing, you may be pretty sure it Is a
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, huniehead. and the mcrganscrs,
or 1ish-ducks.
II you succeed in getting acquaint-
Ell with several Of these you will do
well. 1t needs patience and good eyes,
and If you can add to these an opera
glass, you will be still better fitted
for duck-hunting.
10 stalk ducks near the shore in
open water, approach them by short
stages whenever all are under water
at once. duck will usually remain
under water about half a minute: in
the meantime You have covered & hun.
drcd feet or more or ground, and
concealed yourself as much as pos
sible. allowing only all opening to
watch from. Sometimes one finds q
feeding-ground where he can hide and
wait for the ducks to come. This is
the best way to observe them at close
rolgc. | knew of Il small pend, sur
rounded by willows and other bush
cS, where Scaup-ducks came every day
to feed. While waiting beside the
pond | have seen a flock of ducks
sail down over the water only a hun
dred feet from me. then tuyn and,
coming back, repeat the performance.
AS they sWOoped down with set wings
and making loud. swishng noise,
they were a fine sight, we'll worth an
hours waiting.
Although ducks are very wary and
alert, they do not readily see danger
when they arc 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 he 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 common saying that water leaves
no trail. But where some black ducks
had been pluming and summing them
selves | have read the story very
plainly in the water where numerous
small, downy feathers noated and
clung to The grassy tussocks.
In q lagoon, in Jackson Park, Chi
cago, where no shooting is allowed,
the ducks are remarkably tame:
though on Lake Michigan, a quarter
of 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.