American Golden-Eye; “Whistler”: Common visitant on the deeper water. Front, Male; rear, Female. “winter season” visitors. The first of the Pintails (Sprigs) begin to arrive from the north by late August and continue to come until they outnumber all other species. Their numbers usually thin out by mid- winter, after the hunting season, when they scatter into the interior valleys, but many Pintails, as well as Widgeons and other migrant species, remain as late as April. The Canvasbacks, Scaups and other diving ducks arrive later in the fall, but remain until spring, although their numbers fluctuate from month to month. During their stay at the lake, the Canvasbacks remain in the deeper water and do not come ashore, making special feeding arrangements necessary. Canada Goose or Honker: In- troduced residents, also rare visitant. About Lake Merritt LAKE MERRITT, a natural salt water lake in the heart of the city, covering approximately 155 acres, is controlled by flood gates at the outlet to the Estuary. This body of water was first known as the “North Arm of San Antonio Creek” (the Estuary) by its Spanish discoverers. Later it was called “Lake Peralta” in honor of Oakland’s first Spanish settler, and finally “Lake Merritt” for an early mayor of Oakland, Dr. Samuel Merritt. The Embarcadero at the tip of the lake’s northeast arm was the loading wharf of early settlers. Lumber from San Antonio Redwoods and other articles of early day commerce, such as meat and hides, were shipped from there to San Francisco and