. Birds in their relations to man; a manual of economic ornithology for the United States and Canada . vicinity of farm-houses, Avhere it may be foundfeeding or associating with barn-yard ducks. It takes kindlyto domestication, and is easily tamed and induced to breed incaptivity. Its favorite haunts are small lakes, weedy ponds,or shady streams in the midst of, or in close proximity to,scatlered woodlands, and, except during migration, it is rarelymet with about open bays or lai^e bodies of water. THE WATER-BIRDS. 241 This beautiful bird seems in danger of extermination, anevent to be deplore
. Birds in their relations to man; a manual of economic ornithology for the United States and Canada . vicinity of farm-houses, Avhere it may be foundfeeding or associating with barn-yard ducks. It takes kindlyto domestication, and is easily tamed and induced to breed incaptivity. Its favorite haunts are small lakes, weedy ponds,or shady streams in the midst of, or in close proximity to,scatlered woodlands, and, except during migration, it is rarelymet with about open bays or lai^e bodies of water. THE WATER-BIRDS. 241 This beautiful bird seems in danger of extermination, anevent to be deplored by every lover of Nature. Special effortshould be made to protect it in its nesting sites and to preventits being shot during the spring season. Our most popular duck is undoubtedly the Canvas-back,famed among epicures for its delicate flavor, resembling thatof celery. This is due to feeding on a water-plant known aswild celery (Vallisnena), and is not acquired till the birds getto the Chesapeake region, where the plants grow from Chesapeake Bay bring a much higher price. HEAD OF OLD SQUAW DICK. than those from other localities. Except for its peculiar appe-tite in the one instance of wild celery, the canvas-backs menushows no appreciable difference from that of the group justtreated of. An associate and relative of the canvas-back is the Red-head,another excellent table bird. In both size and color there issuch a strong resemblance between the two that dislionestmarket-men have been known to impose on customers, notwell informed in ornithological matters, by selling red-headsfor canvas-back. The Ring-neck and the Greater and Lesser 242 BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. SrAUPs belong to the same genus as llie canvas-backs andred-lieads, but they feed more on moHusks and other formsof anmial hfe and are less palatable. The Whistler, or Golden-eye, Old Squaw, Butter-ball, orDipper, and Ruddy Duck are all easy divers, which feed chieflyon mollusks and simi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1916
