WOOD DUCK 141 



from California). Juvenile plumage: Top of heail dark brown; stripe over eye, 

 eyelid, and area between bill and eye, dull white; side of head otherwise brown; 

 chin, throat and foreneck, white; upper surface of body brown; forepart of 

 breast mottled with yellowish brown and dark brown; rest of under surface 

 dull white, mottled with dusky feather centers. Natal plumage: Top of head 

 (from base of bill), hind neck and whole upper surface of body, brown, palest 

 on forehead and wings; bill (dried) blackish, nail horn-color, lower mandible 

 yellow^; stripe behind eye, side of head, spots at side of rump and below 

 wing, and whole lower surface of body, dull yellowish white; feet (dried) 

 blackish. i *^i 



Marks for field identification — The most beautiful and brightly marked 

 American duck. Medium size, conspicuously crested head, mottled breast, and 

 pure white under surface of body. Plumage of male variegated, head and 

 crest green, chin and throat white, crescents in front of wing white and black, 

 speculum dark blue. Female duller colored, with conspicuous white eye-ring 

 and stripe behind eye. 



Voice — Of male: a watch -note hoe-cck, rarely uttered. Of female with 

 brood: a low, soft, prolonged pe-ee, pe-ce. Of downy young: a mellow pee, pee, 

 pee-e, often and rapidly repeated (Audubon in Coues, 1874, pp. 572-573). 



Nest — In a hollow in a tree usually over or near water, but occasionally 

 some distance from it; composed of twigs, grasses and leaves, and lined with 

 down. 



Eggs — 8 to 12, or more, short elliptical in shape, measuring in inches 2.01 

 to 2.19 by 1.50 to 1.61 ( in millimeters, 51.0 to 55.5 by 38.0 to 41.0), and averag- 

 ing 2.05 by 1.58 (52.0 by 40.0) (twenty-nine eggs in U. S. National Museum) ; 

 in color creamy white, with a glossy surface; more globular than those of 

 most other ducks. 



General distribution — Temperate North America. Breeds from southern 

 British Columbia, central Saskatchewan, northern Ontario, New Brunswick 

 and Nova Scotia south to central California, southern Texas, Florida and 

 Cuba; winters chiefly in the United States, from southern British Columbia, 

 Kansas, Indiana, and New Jersey, south to southern California and the Gulf 

 of Mexico (modified from A. O. U. Check-list, 1910, p. 73). 



Distribution in California — Eesident in suitable localities throughout the 

 state but chiefly in cential and northern portions. Formerly common and 

 widely distributed west of the Sierras, but now rare anywhere in its range. 

 A few additional migrants appear in the fall (October). Southernmost record 

 station at any season: Eamona, San Diego County (Sharp, 1906, p. 75). The 

 following are all the breeding records knowm to the writers: Ventura County 

 (Cooke, 1906, p. 40) ; near Lathrop, San Joaquin County (Wheeler, MS) ; 

 Forest Lake, San Joaquin County (Sampson, 1901, p. 95) ; Isleton, Sacramento 

 County (Wheeler in H. E. Taylor, 1897, p. 110) ; Gallinas Creek, Marin County 

 (Mailiiard, MS); Lake Tahoe (Eay, 1901, p. 116). 



It is universally accepted that the Wood Duck is the handsomest 

 of all the American ducks. Its near relative, the Mandarin Duck of 

 Asia, is its only near competitor for honors, and so far as brilliancy 

 of coloration is concerned even that species must be given second 

 place. The "Wood Duck's habit of making special display of its 

 bright colors but adds to its ever evident beauty and grace when on 

 the water. 



