88 WATER FOWL. 



with no instance when a nest was placed upon the 

 ground. It will occupy the nest of some other bird 

 in a hollow trunk, or will adapt some new-found 

 cavity to suit its needs. It is astonishing to see how 

 small a hole this duck can enter, and sometimes it ap- 

 proaches the opening to its nest, that appears not large 

 enough to admit half the diameter of its body, but will 

 pass in without difficulty. Usually the tree selected for 

 the nest is close to the water, often overhanging it, but 

 occasionally it may be a number of yards away. No 

 matter how near the trees may grow together, or how 

 thick may be the interlacing branches, the Wood Duck 

 threads its way amid them with an ease and swiftness 

 equaled only by a Wild Pigeon, and its flight is executed 

 almost with the silence of an owl's in similar situations. 

 This Duck appears to become much attached to its breed- 

 ing place, and will occupy the same nest for successive 

 years if it is lucky enough to escape the manifold dan- 

 gers to which it is subjected. The nest is composed of 

 grass, plants, and similar dried material, and is lined 

 with down and feathers, mostly taken from the female's 

 breast. A dozen or more white eggs, which soon be- 

 come soiled, are laid, and then the male deserts his 

 mate, and hies away to the society of other idle fellows 

 like himself. The young, when hatched, are carried 

 down to the water, one at a time, by the mother, in 

 her bill, provided the distance is considerable, otherwise 

 the little creatures scramble to the mouth of the cavity, 

 and fearlessly drop themselves down into an element 

 which they have never seen, but which their inherited in- 

 stinct tells them is to be their future home. Whenever 

 the female leaves the nest during incubation she always 

 covers the eggs with the down and feathers so as to com- 

 pletely hide them, and thus insures a continuance of the 



