The Wood Duclc. — Ana^ ^-ponsa, 151 



anally, however the inside of a hollow tree is selected for this purpose. On 

 the 18th of May I visited a tree containing the nest of a Summer Duck, on 

 ikhe banks of Tuckahoc Kiver, New Jersey. It was an old, grotesque white 

 oak, whose top had been torn oft by a storm. It stood on the declivity of 

 the bank, about twenty yards from the water. In this hollow and broken 

 top, and about six feet down, on the soft, decayed wood, lay tliirteeu Q^^, 

 snugly covered with down, doubtless taken from the breast of the bird. — 

 These eggs v/ere of an exact oval shape, less than those of a Hen, the surface 

 exceedingly fine grained, and of the highest polish, and slightly yellowish, 

 greatly resembling old, polished ivory. The ^gg measured two inches and 

 an eight by one inch and a half. On breaking one of them, the young bird 

 was found to be nearly hatched, but dead, as neither of the parents had been 

 observed about the tree during the three or four days preceding, and were 

 conjectured to have been shot. 



" This tree had been occupied, probably by the same pair, for four sue- 

 •cessive years, in breeding time ; the person w^ho gave me the information, 

 and whose house was wuthin twenty or thirty yards of the tree, said that he 

 had seen the female, the spring preceding, carry down thirteen young, one 

 by one, in less than ten minutes. She caught them in her bill by the wing 

 or back of the neck, and landed them safel}?^ at the foot of the tree, whence 

 she afterwards led them to the water. Under this same tree, at the time ] 

 visited it, a large sloop lay on the stocks, nearly finished ; the deck was not 

 more that twelve feet distant from the nest, yet notwithstanding the presence 

 and noise of the workmen, the Ducks would not abandon their old breeding 

 place, but continued to pass out and in, as if no person had been near. The 

 male usually perched on an adjoining limb, and kept watch while the female 

 was laying, and also often while she was sitting. A tame Goose had chosf^n 

 a hollow space at the root of the same tree, to lay and hatch her young in. 



*' The Summer Duck seldom flies in flocks of more than three or four 

 individuals together, and most commonly in pairs, or singly. The common 

 note of the drake is peet, peet ; but when, standing sentinel, if he sees danger, 

 he makes a noise not unlike the crowing of a young cock, oe eek / oe eek J 

 Their food consists principally of acorns, seeds of wild oats, and insects. — 

 Their flesh is inferior to that of the Blue-winged Teal. They are frequent 

 in the markets of Philadelphia. 



" Among other gaudy feathers with which the Indians ornament the 

 calumet or pipe of peace, the skin of the head and neck of the Summer Duck 

 is frequently seen covering the stem. 



" This beautiful bird has often been tamed, and soon becomes so familiar 

 as to permit one to stroke its back with the hand. I have seen individuals 

 BO tamed, in various parts of the Union. Captain Boyer, collector of the 

 port of Havre-de-Grace, informs me, that about forty years ago, a Mr. Nathan 

 Nichols, v/ho lived on the west side of Gunpowder Creek, had a whole yard 

 ewarming with bummer Ducks, which he had tamed and completely domes- 

 ticated, so that they bred and were as familiar as any other tame fowds ; that 

 he (Captain Boyer) himself saw them in that state, bufe does not know whtit 



