Page:Condor20(1).djvu/34

Jan., 1918 A RETURN TO THE DAKOTA LAKE REGION 33 The pair of Shovellers that frequented our shallow water were apparently enjoying themselves in the interval before family cares and duties should be- come all engrossing. The drake seemed to spend most of his time there and the duck came over at intervals from the nest, when they swam about together feeding by putting their. heads under water and where the water was deep enough to admit it, standing on their bills with their tails up. When the drake stood on a stone at the head of the slough, his big body and white breast made him conspicuous, but when he squatted down, his white breast was obliterated and his black head rested on his magenta belly making him suggest an incon- spicuous Mallard! On the other hand, when surprised on the grassy edge of the slough when he had apparently retired for the night, he raised his blackish head and stretched his white neck enquiringly, showing his true colors. The brown duck when swimming through the short grass and weeds was almost invisible. When feeding, if she turned her head on one side to pick something from the grass blade, the orange under mandible of her spoon bill showed strikingly, and when she stretched her wing with her orange foot it showed across the water making a good recognition mark to supplement the wide mouthed bill. In bathing she dipped under water and then rose and flap- ped her wings till the white axillars showed. After bathing, at one time, she started and swam straight across the slough, the drake following close at her heels, and when she stepped up on dry land, he followed up beside her; after which they both stood and preened and shook their feathers till they looked dry aud clean, there being plenty of time for standing around and visiting. Unfortunately I moved and disturbed their rest, but they only flew over to- ward the open water of the black streak. There was frequent shifting back and forth from the slo.ugh to the black streak and from the streak to the slough. When it was not a Shoveller that came down with orange feet stuck out conspicuously, it was sometimes a Gad- wall that dropped down with brown wing coverts showing, or perhaps a heavy brown duck that rose and flew over the marsh with the loud quack of the Mal- lard. A pair of Mallards that I found on the edge .of the small slough where the interloping Shovelle was punished, were for the moment reversing their usual role, the brown duck standing with neck stretched up watching me while her mate lay at ease pluming his feathers, showing his handsome green head, white collar, and reddish brown breast. This pair when disturbed by the horses com- ing in to the slough, instead of shifting over to the black streak flew with wide wing beats over the trees, soaring down onto the lake. And later in the day I found a Mallard drake feeding along the line of white foam that had blown in from the lake, making quick jabs down in front of him, and once swinging around quickly as if to secure a morsel he was in danger of losing. A brood of Mallards was found later--the last week in August--on the Big Ditch, and when ] pressed too close the conspicuously large mother wisely flew off, leav- ing the tiny mottled young to disappear in the protecting cover of the bank. But while female Mallards now and then rose from our long pasture slough, that particuIar feeding ground was resorted to mainly by Shovellers-- Two pairs I thought called it home--together with Blue-winged Teal, Coot from the marsh the other side of the fence, and an occasional Pintail. A Pintail drake would swim around watchfully, his head with its handsome brown cheek patch topping his long white neck, his body riding high, held together trimly