LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS 



144. Wood Duck. Aix sponsa. 



Range. — Temperate North America, breeding 

 from Labrador and British Columbia south to 

 Florida. 



Bridal Duck is a name often given to this, the 

 most beautiful of all Ducks. 



They are beautifully marked, have a large crest, 

 and are iridescent with all colors of the rainbow. 

 They frequent wooded country near ponds and 



Rich buff 



lakes, feeding on water insects and mollusks in 

 the coves. They build their nests in hollow trees 

 and stumps, often at quite a distance from the 

 water. When the young are a few days old, they 

 slide, scramble, or flutter down the tree trunk to 

 the ground below, and are led to the water. The 

 nest is made of twigs, weeds and grass, and warm- 

 ly lined with down. The eggs are a buff color 

 and number eight to fifteen. Size 2. x 1.5. 



[145.] Rufous-crested Duck. Netta rufina. 



A European species; a single specimen taken on Long Island in 1872. 

 I Hi. Redhead. Marila americana. 



Range. — North America at large, 

 breeding from northern United 

 States northward, chieflj in the in- 

 terior. 



A bird commonly seen in the 

 in.-'! k( i \\ here it i often sold as 

 the following species because of 



their similarity. The nests are 



pi I on t he ground in marshes or 



SlOUghs, and are made of grasses, 



lined with feathers. Eggs from 

 six to fourteen In Dumber, of a 

 imii v a hite color. Size 2.40 \ l .To. 



