THE WOOD DUCK. 787 
with faint metallic reflections; throat and space about eye (extending backward 
to occiput) and some feathering about base of bill, white; rest of head ashy 
brown; upperparts much as in male but duller, chiefly warm brown in place of 
black; fore-neck and breast brown, streaked with lighter or dull ochraceous; 
belly white; crissum mixed fuscous and white. Length, adult male: 19.00-20.50 
(482.6-520.7) ; wing 9.15 (232.4); tail 3.88 (98.6); bill 1.30 (33); tarsus 1.36 
(34.5). Female, length: 17.00-19.25 (431.8-489) ; other dimensions in proportion. 
Recognition Marks.—Smaller than Mallard. Exquisitely variegated plum- 
age of male unmistakable; female unlike that of any other species. 
Nesting.—Nest: in a hollow tree, lined with twigs, grasses, and down. 
Eggs: 8-14, buffy white. Av. size, 2.05 x 1.55 (52.1 x 39.4). Season: c. May 20; 
one brood. 
General Range.—Temperate North America, breeding thruout its range. 
Cuba. Accidental in Europe. 
Range in Washington.—Formerly common summer resident and migrant. 
Now rare thruout the State save on islands of lower Columbia where still 
abundant. 
Authorities—Newberry, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. VI. pt. IV. 1857, p. 102. 
IW, (CS WEAS AR 18%, 1 
Specimens.—(U. of W.) Prov. B. BN. 
FEW if any more exquisitely beautiful creatures have been fashioned in 
the workshop of Nature than the Wood Ducks of America. Among the 
Ducks, certainly, only the Mandarin (Aix galericulata) of China, a near rela- 
tive, may vie with this species in brilliancy of coloring and delicacy of mould. 
Linneeus called the Wood Duck the Bride (Latin, sporsa, bride) but, of course, 
it is the bridegroom who wears the jewels and inherits the products of Oriental 
dye-stuffs, bequeathed thru a thousand generations; for, Males must strut 
and females must work, is the rule among ducks as among most other birds. 
Literally all the colors of the rainbow belong to this bird in his nuptial plumage, 
with black and white thrown in for good measure. And with all this gaudy 
attire go many accomplishments not attained by any others in the group. 
Birds of this species frequent secluded swamps, bayous, and _ sheltered 
water-ways. They are swift and graceful fliers, and they are able to traverse 
the mazes of the forest with the ease of pigeons. They perch readily upon the 
branches of trees, and even walk along them without hesitancy. To the 
aquatic fare offered by the surface and depths of woodland pools, is added the 
flying insects of the forest home, and the tender shoots and leaves of plants in 
spring. Acorns are a favorite focd in fall, and upon these the birds sometimes 
stuff themselves to repletion. 
Most curious are the nesting habits, with which our fathers in some of the 
older States were almost as familiar as we are with those of Robins. The 
birds arrive mated in early spring, and in later April, May, or early June, 
according to latitude, a site is chosen in the hollow of a broken branch of a 
