WOOD DUCK 301 



the common domestic duck. Seven species belonging to 

 this division occur regularly in eastern New York and New 

 England ; all but one, however, are now so rare that the or- 

 dinary observer will hardly come across them. They must 

 be sought for in the ponds of Maine or southeastern Mas- 

 sachusetts, where, however, numerous gunners are generally 

 lying in wait for them in their favorite haunts. The Black 

 Duck or Dusky Duck is still common, and may be met 

 with as a migrant in any pond or stream ; it breeds in many 

 places, and winters in large numbers off the sea-shore. The 

 Wood Duck, once found in summer near quiet forest pools 

 and deserted mill ponds, is now very rare. The Mallard, 

 the Widgeon, and the Pintail are migrants, occurring in vary- 

 ing numbers, but nowhere commonly ; the Mallard occa- 

 sionally winters off the coast. The two species of Teal, 

 though becoming rare elsewhere, are still rather common 

 fall migrants in Maine, and the Blue-winged Teal nests in 

 the extreme northern and eastern counties of that state. 

 (See Job, " Auk," vol. xiii. pp. 197-204.) 



Wood Duck. Aix sponsa 

 18.50 



Ad. $ . — Top of head metallic green, ending in a long crest of 

 purple, interspersed with narrow white feathers ; sides of head black ; 

 throat pure ichite, the white running up into side of the head and hind 

 neck, almost separating the black side of the head into two areas; 

 upper parts brown; when seen in good light the wings show vel- 

 vety black, purple, and white; tail dark, long and fan-shaped; 

 upper breast rich reddish -chestnut, with small white arrowy 

 markings, white mark edged with black before the bend of the 

 wing; flanks buffy -brown; rest of under parts white ; under tail-cov- 

 erts dusky; bill dark; legs and feet brownish-yellow. Ad. ^ . — 

 Top of head blackish; sides of head grayish-brown; ring round 

 eye and patch behind it ichite; rest of upper parts brown, the 

 wings at close range as in $ ; throat pure white ; breast brown, 

 mottled with buff; helly ichite, with here and there a dusky spot; 

 bill dark; legs and feet yellowish-brown. 



Nest, in holes in trees, near water. Eggs, ivory-white. 



