She builds her Nest
in a Wood-pecker's Hole, very often sixty or seventy Foot high.
{Whistling Duck.}
Towards the Mountains in the hilly Country, on the West-Branch
of Caip-Fair Inlet, we saw great Flocks of pretty pied Ducks,
that whistled as they flew, or as they fed. I did not kill any of them.
{Scarlet Ey'd Duck.}
We kill'd a curious sort of Ducks, in the Country of the Esaw-Indians,
which were of many beautiful Colours. Their Eyes were red,
having a red Circle of Flesh for their Eye-lids; and were very good to eat.
{Blue-Wings.}
The Blue-Wings are less than a Duck, but fine Meat. These are the first Fowls
that appear to us in the Fall of the Leaf, coming then in great Flocks,
as we suppose, from Canada, and the Lakes that lie behind us.
{Widgeon.}
Widgeons, the same as in Europe, are here in great Plenty.
{Teal two sorts.}
We have the same Teal, as in England, and another sort
that frequents the Fresh-Water, and are always nodding their Heads.
They are smaller than the common Teal, and dainty Meat.
{Shovellers.}
Shovellers (a sort of Duck) are gray, with a black Head.
They are a very good Fowl.
{Whistlers.}
These are called Whistlers, from the whistling Noise they make, as they fly.
{Black-Flusterers, or Bald-Coot.}
Black Flusterers; some call these Old Wives. They are as black as Ink.
The Cocks have white Faces. They always remain in the midst of Rivers,
and feed upon drift Grass, Carnels or Sea-Nettles. They are the fattest Fowl
I ever saw, and sometimes so heavy with Flesh, that they cannot rise
out of the Water. They make an odd sort of Noise when they fly.
What Meat they are, I could never learn. Some call these the great bald Coot.
{Turkeys.}
The wild Turkeys I should have spoken of, when I treated of the Land-Fowl.
There are great Flocks of these in Carolina. I have seen about five hundred
in a Flock; some of them are very large. I never weigh'd any myself,
but have been inform'd of one that weigh'd near sixty Pound Weight.
I have seen half a Turkey feed eight hungry Men two Meals.
Sometimes the wild breed with the tame ones, which, they reckon,
makes them very hardy, as I believe it must. I see no manner of Difference
betwixt the wild Turkeys and the tame ones; only the wild are ever
of one Colour, (viz.) a dark gray, or brown, and are excellent Food.
They feed on Acorns, Huckle-Berries, and many other sorts of Berries
that Carolina affords. The Eggs taken from the Nest, and hatch'd
under a Hen, will yet retain a wild Nature, and commonly leave you,
and run wild at last, and will never be got into a House to roost,
but always pearch on some high Tree, hard-by the House,
and separate themselves from the tame sort, although (at the same time)
they tread and breed together.
