"There seem to be as many Ducks as there are Owls," remarks Bobbie.
"This fellow is called Baldpate, but he's not bare on top of his head
like Gran'pa, at all."
"No, his head is feathered as well as any Duck's head," replies mamma.
"I remember hearing him called the Widgeon, I think."
"Yes, that's what it says here, the American Widgeon, a game bird, you
know, mamma."
"Yes, its flesh is very delicious, almost as good as the Canvas-back."
"Oh, but these Baldpates are cunning fellows," exclaims Bobbie,
continuing his reading, "It says they are fond of a certain grass plant
which grows deep in both salt and fresh water, but they don't dive for
it as the Canvas-back and other deep water Ducks do."
"Well?" says mamma, as Bobbie stops, his lips moving, but uttering no
sound.
"I stopped to spell a word," explains Bobbie. "It says they closely
follow and watch the Canvas-back and other Ducks, and when they rise to
the surface of the water with the roots of the plant in their bills, Mr.
Baldpate quickly snatches a part, or all of the catch, and hurries off
to eat it at his leisure."
"A mean fellow, indeed," remarks mamma, "but he has no reason to guide
him, as you have, you know."
"Indeed I _don't_ know," quickly says Bobbie. "You remember that story
about the imprisoned Duck that had its leg broken and was put under a
small crate, or coop, to keep it from running about? Well, some of the
other Ducks pitied the little prisoner and tried to release him by
forcing their necks under the crate and thus lifting it up. They found
they weren't strong enough to do that, and so they _quacked_, and
_quacked_, and _quacked_ among themselves, then marched away in a body.
Soon they came back with forty ducks, every one in the farm yard. They
surrounded the crate and tried to lift it as before, but again they
failed. Then they _quacked_ some more, and after a long talk the whole
of them went to one side of the crate. As many as could thrust their
necks underneath it, and the rest pushed them forward from behind. A
good push, a strong push, up went the crate a little way, and out
waddled the little prisoner. I want to know if they didn't reason that
out, mamma?"
[Illustration: From col. Chi. Acad. Sciences.
BALDPATE DUCK.
Copyright by
Nature Study Pub. Co., 1898, Chicago.]