OF NORTH AMERICA. A 
Habitat — West of the Alleghenys; not 
at all common east, as they prefer the shallow 
ponds, where the bottoms are covered with 
herbage. C.J. Maynard says that there are 
more of these ducks in Florida in the winter 
than of all other species put together. They 
seldom or never dive, but stand nearly on 
end, feet in the air, while pulling the roots 
from the bottom. They are very swift of 
flight and quite wary. 
18. WOOD DUCK. SUMMER DUCK. 
Aix sponsa. 
Back of drake very dark brown, belly 
white, sides marked with gray; breast is red- 
dish-brown with triangular white spots. The 
top of head and its crest, which is quite long, 
is dark green, with purple reflections. The 
throat is white and a section of it branches 
up toward the eye. A line of white extends 
backward on each side of the head from the 
face of the bill and another from just behind 
the eye. Bull black, with pinkish-white sides, 
and red at base; feet orange; eyes red. In 
June the male changes its plumage, and then 
resembles the female, but by October they 
have nearly regained their full plumage; dur- 
ing this period, it is said that the drakes flock 
together. The female would hardly be rec- 
ognizable as the mate of its gaudily dressed 
partner. The back is slaty-brown and the 
belly white ; the breast and sides of body are 
