DUCKS 



113 



Nest and Eggs. — Nest: In hollow trees, lined with 

 grass, leaves, leathers, and down. E<;(is: to 10. ivory 

 white. 



Distribution. — North America at large; breeds from 

 central British Columbia. Great Slave Lake, across 

 British America to Newfoundland south to southern 



Oregon, northern New Me.xico, southern Louisiana, and 

 central Florida ; winters in southern British Columbia^ 

 across the United States on about latitude 41° south 

 to Lower California, Me.xico, the Gulf States, and Cuba; 

 rare in northeastern part of range; recorded from 

 Alaska, and from Europe and Bermuda. 



The Hooded Merganser is a distinctively 

 American bird and is the most beautiful of its 

 family. \'ivacious, active, elegant in form, grace- 

 ful in carriage, its presence adds a peculiar charm 

 to the little ponds and streams on which it de- 

 lights to disport. It frequents clear streams and 

 muddy pools alike, and its white and black plum- 

 age strongly contrasted against the shining water 

 and the stirrounding foliage makes a picttire not 

 soon forgotten. One who has seen a small flock 

 of this species playing on the dark waters of a 

 tiny shaded jjool with two or three beautiful 

 males darting about among the others, opening 

 and closing their fan-like crests and throwing 

 the sparkling drops in showers over their glisten- 

 ing plumage, will rarely find anywhere a finer 

 and more animated picture of bird life. 



It is well known that this bird nests in hollow 

 trees and that the young are either carried to the 



water by the mother soon after they are hatched, 

 or are pushed out of the nest and, falling unhurt 

 to the ground, are led to the water by the parent. 

 She seems to be rather a silent bird, but has a 

 hoarse croak at times and probably has vocal 

 means of commtinication with her little ones. 

 This Duck is exceedingly swift on the wing, a 

 proficient diver, and a fast swimmer both on and 

 under the sttrface. Its toothed bill places it with 

 the fish-eating Ducks, but it feeds on vegetable 

 matter also, and Col. John E. Thayer says that 

 ■' it readily eats corn." No d<.)ulit it could be 

 domesticated, and if so it would make a great 

 addition to the ornamental w-aterfowl on parks 

 and large estates. Notwithstanding its unpalat- 

 able fishy flavor it is shot by gunners at every 

 opportunity and has decreased greatly in num- 

 bers where formerly it was common. 



Edwakd Howe Fokbush. 



DUCKS 



Order Atisncs; family Anatidcr : subfamilies Auatuicr and Fitiiguliinv 



NDER the general term "Duck" are included a very large variety of forms, 

 some of which do not measure up to the popular notion of what a real Duck is. 

 From the scientific point of view, the Ducks include a large group of birds 

 constituting the subfamilies River Ducks and Sea Ducks of the order Anscres 

 or Waterfowl. Most of them have the body longer than the neck, and a broad, 

 flattened bill, while the front of the tarsus is fitted with overlapping scales. 

 The sexes are unlike in color. The characteristic "waddle" of the Duck on 

 land is due to the fact that its legs are placed far back on its body, an arrange- 

 ment which, however, increases its skill in swimming and diving. The wings 

 are rigid, strong, and usually pointed, and capable of driving the bird's body 

 at great speed; the plumage is exceptionally dense and soft. 

 Wild Ducks fall naturally into the two groups known as River or Pond Ducks and 

 Sea or Bay or Diving Ducks. The Sea Ducks (which are found virtually all over the world) 

 difTer from the River Ducks in having the hind toe broadly lobed or webbed, and include 

 species mainly of large size. The terms " Sea " and " River " should not be taken too 

 literally, for certain species of each group may be found on the ocean, on rivers, or on bodies 

 of fresh water well inland. The Sea Ducks, of which about seventy species are recognized, 

 feed mainly on mollusks, shellfish, and the roots and seeds of aquatic plants, which they get 

 by diving, often to a considerable depth, as is proved by the fact that in Lake Erie Old-squaw 

 Ducks have been caught in fishermen's nets at depths of from eighty to one hundred feet 



