THE WOOD DUCK 319 



him in elegance of form and motion, and none 

 of our other ducks can compare with him in 

 beautiful coloring and plumage. Except the 

 mandarin duck of the far east no member of the 

 family approaches him in the rainbow bright- 

 ness of his hues. They nest anywhere through- 

 out the United States and a little beyond to the 

 north. 



They bred in abundance in the lake region 

 of Maine, and were surely second in point of 

 numbers in these waters as elsewhere on the 

 fresh water in New England, only the black duck 

 being more numerous. I say were, for they 

 have become greatly reduced in numbers within 

 the last few years. This is, no doubt, in great 

 measure due to their "fatal gift of beauty," 

 though their flesh, also, has a flavor that is deli- 

 cate beyond that of most wild fowl. They have 

 become so scarce that it seems that shooting 

 them should be prohibited for a term of years 

 if we would prevent their total extinction. Let 

 us act before it is too late, and so prevent this 

 irreparable loss. 



These little creatures still brighten with their 

 presence some of our inland streams, flitting 

 with graceful ease among the interlacing 



