276 BULLETIN 130, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



P,lumages. — The downy young of the fulvous tree cluck is de- 

 scribed by Grinnell, Bryant, and Storer (1918) as follows: 



Top of head clove brown ; chin, throat, and Fiides of head dull white, a streak 

 of the same color extending around back of head on each side and meeting its 

 fellow on hind head ; a short, dull white streak on each side of head from 

 side of bill to above eye; bill (dried) dusky brown with prominent yellowish 

 nail ; hind neck clove brown, a streak of same color invading side of 

 head below streak of white which encircles head ; rest of upper surface of 

 body uniform bister brown ; whole under surface of body dull white ; feet 

 (dried) grayish yellow. 



A series of young birds in my collection, about two-thirds grown, 

 are strikingly like adults, except that the colors are all duller, the 

 brown edgings on the back are narrower, there is less chestnut in the 

 w^ing coverts, and the upper tail coverts are tipped with brown. 

 I have no data as to subsequent molts and plumages, but suppose 

 that the adult plumage is assumed at the first postnuptial molt when 

 the young bird is a little over a year old. 



Food. — Mr. Shields (1809) says that these ducks "are equally at 

 home in an alfalfa patch (about dusk) or in a lake of water, and 

 are entirely at home in an oak forest not far from the breeding 

 swamp, where the}^ are said to assemble for the purpose of feeding 

 on acorns." 



Keferring to the food of this species, Grinnell, Biyant, and Storer 

 (1918) write: 



The fulvous tree duck feeds largely on the seeds of grasses and weeds. In 

 Mexico and Texas it is said to visit the cornfields at night where it finds 

 palatable provender. When feeding in muddy or marshy situations the birds 

 thrust their bills deep in the soft mud on both sides and in front of them as 

 they walk along. The stomach of an individual obtained at Los Banos, 

 Merced County, in May, 1914, and examined by us, contained finely cut up 

 grass and other vegetable matter. 



Behavior. — The same writers say on this subject: 



The fulvous tree duck is more easily approached than many other water- 

 fowl, but nevertheless is often diflicult to find as it congregates among the 

 dense tules or far out on the marshy ponds. On occasion a flock has been 

 easily approached and a number killed at one shot. Sometimes, when tree 

 ducks are surprised on grassy ground, they simply stand rigidly with their 

 heads and .long necks straight up in the air, and at a distance look more like 

 stakes than birds. When wounded they are said to escape not only by diving 

 but also by running at great speed and hiding in the grass, and thus often 

 baffle entirely the hiuiter's efforts to recover them. 



Game. — Regarding its status as a game bird, they say : 



The flesh of the fulvous ti*ee duck is light colored and juicy, and also free from 

 the rank flavor possessed by sea-faring ducks and geese. On their arrival in Cali- 

 fornia the birds are fat and eminently fit for the table ; but since they are here 

 in greatest numbers during the close season, they largely escape the slaughter 

 levied on other wild fowl. The numbers of this species are, at best, small ii> 



