Two Little Savages Part 43

And, curiously enough, he was not disappointed. Downey was a rough, vigorous business man. He took no notice of the boys beyond a brief "Morning, Sam," till he saw that Yan was making very fair sketches.

All the world loves an artist, and now there was danger of too much a.s.sistance.

The cases could not be opened, but were swung around and shades raised to give the best light. Yan went at once to the bird he had "far-sketched" on the pond. To his surprise, it was a female Wood-duck. He put in the whole afternoon drawing those Ducks, male and female, and as Downey had more than fifty specimens Yan felt like Aladdin in the Fairy Garden--overpowered with abundance of treasure.

The birds were fairly well labelled with the popular names, and Yan brought away a lot of sketches, which made him very happy. These he afterward carefully finished and put together in a Duck Chart that solved many of his riddles about the Common Duck.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Fish-Ducks, Sawbills, or Mergansers]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The River Ducks]

(See description below.)

Far-sketches showing common Ducks as seen on the water at about 50 yards distance. The pair is shown in each square, the male above.

N.B. The wings are rarely seen when the bird is swimming.

THE FISH-DUCK, SAWBILLS OR MERGANSERS

Largely white and all are crested, wings with large white areas in flight.

1. The Sh.e.l.ldrake or Goosander (_Merganser america.n.u.s_).

Bill, feet and eye red.

2. The Sawbill or Red-breasted Merganser (_Merganser serrator_). Bill and feet red.

3. Hooded Merganser (_Lophodytes cucullatus_). Bill and feet dark, paddle-box buff.

THE RIVER DUCKS

The males usually with s.h.i.+ning green and black on head and wings, the females streaky gray-brown.

4. Mallard _(Anas boschas_). Red feet; male has pale, greenish bill. Known in flight by white tail feathers and thin white bar on wing.

5. Black Duck or Dusky Duck (_Anas obscura_). Dark bill, red feet, no white except in flight, then shows white lining of wings.

6. Gadwall or Gray Duck (_Anas strepera_). Beak flesh-coloured on edges, feet reddish, a white spot on wing showing in flight.

7. Widgeon or Baldpate (_A. americana_). Bill and feet dull blue; a large white spot on wing in flight; female has sides reddish.

8. Green-winged Teal (_A. carolinensis_). Bill and feet dark.

9. Blue-winged Teal (_A. discors_). Bill and feet dark.

10. Shoveller (_Spatula clypeata_). Bill dark, feet red, eye yellow-orange; a white patch on wings showing in flight

11. Pintail or Sprigtail (_Dafila acuta_). Bill and feet dull blue.

12. Wood Duck or Summer Duck (_Aix sponsa_). Bill of male red, paddle-box buff, bill of female and feet of both dark.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Sea Ducks]

THE SEA DUCKS

Chiefly black and white in colour; the female brownish instead of black; most have yellow or orange eye, and more or less white on wings which does not show as they swim.

13. Red-head (_Aythya americana_). Head and neck bright red; eye of male yellow, bill and feet blue.

14. Canvasback (_A. vallisneria_). Head and neck dark-red, eye of male red, bill and feet of both dark or bluish.

15. Ring-necked Bluebill (_A. collaria_). Bill and feet bluish.

16. Big Bluebill (_A. marila_). Bill and feet bluish.

17. Little Bluebill (_A. affinis_). Same colour as the preceding.

18. Whistler or Goldeneye (_Clangula clangula americana_).

Feet orange.

19. Bufflehead or b.u.t.terball (_Charitonetta albeola_).

20. Old-Squaw or Longtail (_Harelda hyemalis_). This is its winter plumage, in which it is mostly seen.

21. Black Scoter (_Oidemia americana_). A jet-black Duck with orange bill; no white on it anywhere.

22. White-winged Scoter (_O. deglandi_). A black Duck with white on cheek and wing; feet and bill orange; much white on wing shows as they fly, sometimes none as they swim.

23. Surf Duck or Sea Coot (_O. perspicillata_). A black Duck with white on head, but none on wings: bill and feet orange.

24. Ruddy Duck or Stiff-tailed Duck (_Erismatura jamaicensis_). Bill and feet bluish; male is in general a dull red with white face.

When they got back to camp at dusk they found a surprise. On the trail was a white thing, which on investigation proved to be a ghost, evidently made by Guy. The head was a large puff-ball carved like a skull, and the body a newspaper.

But the teepee was empty. Guy probably felt too much reaction after the setting up of the ghost to sit there alone in the still night.

XVII