22 THE WILSON BULLETIN— March, 1921 



in the dense vegetation. They depend, as far as my ob- 

 servations go, npon their swimming powers, or else take 

 wing; usnally the latter. They generally swim Avith the 

 body wholly submerged, only the head and long neck show- 

 ing above water. They are at all times very shy and re- 

 tiring, and, occurring as they do only in the wildest and 

 most thinly settled localities, are every year being pnslie%d 

 further away from this section by the draining and culti- 

 vation of their retreats. 



Aix spoiisa — Wood Duck. 



No more fascinating scenes of natural beauty are to 

 be found anywhere in the south than those presented to 

 view at each turn as one travels up or down the sinuous 

 course of the Ogeechee river from its mouth to the north- 

 west corner of Chatham county. At many points along this 

 stretch the river overflows its banks on both sides, the 

 water reaching far back into the heavy deciduous forests, 

 forming perpetually flooded swamps, most of which are 

 impenetrable. Long stretches of the river are bordered by 

 great trees drooping under their gray burden of tenuous 

 moss, their foliage dipping into the black water which is 

 rendered apparently darker by the shadows cast by the 

 fringe of trees. At numerous points high, sandy blufCs, 

 almost bare of vegetation take the place of the gloomy 

 swamps. Here and there along the banks ancient stumps 

 protrude, and in many places abandoned rice plantations 

 stretch for miles along either side. The wooded portions 

 of the swamps bordering this river are the home of the beau- 

 tiful Wood Duck, which, Avhile it formerly occurred in 

 large numbers, is now so rare that it is only occasionally 

 met with. I can say nothing of its habits during the 

 breeding season from personal observation; fiirtluMinore I 

 am not aware that its eggs have ever been takiMi in the 

 county. However, T. D. l*erry tells me that he has «een 

 young at several localities, both in the nest and following 

 the parents, although not recently, since the species is now 

 nearly exterminated. He says the birds always built their 

 nests in hollows in tall trees growing in or very close to 



