LIFE HISTORIES OF jSTOETH AMERICAN WILD FOWL 5 



Mr. Brewster has found 19. Mr. Brewster (1900) thinks that two 

 females sometimes lay in the same nest, and says '' several of the 

 rounded, pure white, thick shelled eggs of the hooded merganser 

 are somtimes included in a set of the green, thin-shelled eggs of the 

 whistler." 



The eggs of the goldeneye are handsome and easily distinguished 

 from those of any other North American duck except its near rela- 

 tive, the Barrow goldeneye. In shape they vary fi-om elliptical oval 

 to elliptical ovate; a few specimens before me are almost ovate. The 

 shell is thin, with a dull luster. The color is usually a clear, pale 

 " malachite green," varying in the darker specimens to a more oliva- 

 ceous or •' pale chromium green " ; various shades of color often occur 

 in the same set. The measurements of 84 eggs, in various collections, 

 average 59.7 by 43.4 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes 

 measure 65 by 44, 59 by 45.5, 48.8 by 43.5, and 59 by 41.2 millimeters. 



Young. — Incubation is performed entirely by the female and lasts 

 for a period of about 20 days. Only one brood is raised in a season. 

 The young remain in the nest for a day of two, imtil they are 

 strong enough to make the perilous descent to the ground or water. 

 Many of the earlier writers have asserted that this, and other species 

 of tree-nesting ducks, carry the young to the nearest water in their 

 bills, but their observations seem to be based largely on hearsay or on 

 insufficient evidence. Mr. Brewster's (1900) study of this species has 

 given us positive evidence to the contrary. Although he personally 

 missed the opportunity of seeing the performance, his trustworthy 

 assistant, E. A. Gilbert, gave the following graphic account of what 

 he saw, when the young were ready to leave the nest : 



At 6.45 the old duck appeared at the entrance to the nest, where she sat 

 for five minutes moving her head continually and looking about in every direc- 

 tion included within her field of vision ; then she sank back out of sight, re- 

 appearing at the end of a minute and looking about as before for another 

 five minutes. At the end of this second period of observation she flew down 

 to the water and swam round the stub three times, clucking and calling. 

 On completing the third round she stopped directly under the hole and gave 

 a single loud cluck or call, when the ducklings began scrambling up to the 

 entrance and dropping down to the water in such quick succession as to fall 

 on top of one another. They literally poured out of the nest much as shot 

 would fall from one's hand. One or two hesitated or paused for an instant 

 on reaching the mouth of the hole, but the greater number toppled out over 

 the edge as soon as they appeared. All used their tiny wings freely, beating 

 them continuously as they descended. They did not seem to strike the water 

 with much force. 



While this was going on the old duck sat motionless on the water looking up 

 at the nest. When the last duckling dropped at her side she at once swam 

 off at the head of the brood, quickly disappearing in a flooded thicket a fev/ 

 rods away. 



