Birds that hunt and are hunted; life histories of one hundred and seventy birds of prey, game birds and water fowls (1898) (14770943553)

Identifier: cu31924001446586 (find matches)
Title: Birds that hunt and are hunted; life histories of one hundred and seventy birds of prey, game birds and water fowls
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Blanchan, Neltje, 1865-1918
Subjects: Birds of prey Upland game birds Waterfowl
Publisher: New York, Doubleday & McClure co
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



Text Appearing Before Image:
lackducks often associate with them there. The canvasback, theredhead, the black duck, the teals, and the mallard, whilecounted greater delicacies, by no means attract the exclusiveattention of the pot hunter when pintails are in sight. Given agood cook and a young, fat, tender duck, even Macaulays school-boy could tell the result. It is an amusing sight to see a flock of drakes feeding inautumn, when they chiefly live apart by themselves. Tippingthe fore part of their bodies downward while, with their longnecks distended, they probe the muddy bottoms of the lake forthe vegetable matter and low animal forms they feed upon, theirlong tails stand erect above the surface, like so many bulrushesgrowing in the water. They seem able to stand on theirheads in this fashion indefinitely; a spasmodic working of theirfeet in the air from time to time testifying only to the difficulty abird may be having to loosen some much desired root. From eight to twelve yellowish olive or pale greenish white
Text Appearing After Image:
W V . * g ■„ V*.vgf-.; River and Pond Ducks eggs are laid near the water, but in dry, grassy land, where themother, who bears all the family cares, forms a slight depressionin the soil, under some protecting bush, if may be, and lines itwith feathers from her breast. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Called also: SUMMER DUCK; BRIDAL DUCK; WOOD WID-GEON; TREE DUCK; ACORN DUCK Length—17 to 19 inches. Male—Crown of head, elongated crest, and cheeks golden, metal-lic green, with purple iridescence; a white line from baseof bill over the eye, and another behind it, reach to the endof crest; throat, and a band from it up sides of head, white;breast rich reddish chestnut spotted with white; white un-derneath, shading into yellowish gray on the sides, which arefinely marked with waving lines of black; strong black andwhite markings on long feathers at back of the flanks on thesides. Upper parts dark, iridescent and purplish, greenishbrown; a white crescent and a black one in front of wings,which