2ii6 FLAMINGOES, DUCKS, AND SCREAMERS 



arrangement of the feathering at the base of the beak, and also by the circumstance, 

 that whereas in the mandarin duck the tail feathers are short and exceeded in length 

 by the under tail coverts, in the American species the long and very broad tail 

 feathers extend far beyond the coverts. The description of the coloration of those 

 beautiful birds would occupy too much space. 



The summer duck derives its name from being found in most parts of the United 

 States at that season, while it takes its second title from its habit of frequenting 

 woods, among the trees of which it flies with the facility of a pigeon. The beauty 

 of its plumage, its graceful carriage when swimming, and the gentleness of its dis- 

 position, make it a universal favorite in America, where it is frequently induced to 

 nest in gardens. Going about in pairs or small parties, the summer duck generally 

 lays its eggs in hollow trees, but may take possession of the deserted nests of other 

 birds. In diet it is a somewhat miscellaneous feeder; its food in autumn being 

 largely composed of acorns. The range of this bird extends from the fur countries 

 throughout temperate North America. The splendidly-colored mandarin duck has 

 one of the scapular feathers expanded into a large fan, of which the color is mostly 

 chestnut brown, but with a broad purple band on the outer hind border. In South 

 America the place of the summer duck is taken by the much larger Muscovy duck 

 (Cairina moschata), distinguished by the great difference in the size of the two 

 sexes, and the presence of brownish fleshy wattles on the forehead and lores; the 

 secondaries being greatly lengthened, and the greater wing coverts short. The Mus- 

 covy, or musky, duck has long been domesticated in Europe, and interbreeds with 

 the common duck and other species. 



The pochards and their near allies the scaup ducks, which may be 



oc ar s an i nc i U( j e( j j n t he single genus Fuligula, although divided by some orni- 



Ducks thologists into three generic groups, are the first representatives of a 



subfamily distinguished structurally from the preceding one by having 



a distinct pendent lobe or membrane attached to the first toe; while in habits they 



differ by their practice of diving in search of food , and their extreme expertness on 



the water. As a rule, the sexes are different in coloration; and the males undergo a 



partial second molt in summer. Of some forty species of diving ducks, as the whole 



group maybe collectively designated, the majority are confined to the Northern 



Hemisphere and South America, although there are three Australian species, and 



another in Africa. 



The pochards and their congeners are characterized by the beak being not 

 longer than the head, and having its base somewhat elevated, and its broad tip 

 depressed, while the tail feathers are short, moderately stiff, rounded at the tips, 

 and more than half concealed by the coverts. The wings are rather short and 

 pointed, and the metatarsus is characterized by its lateral compression. The red- 

 crested pochard {F. ruf.no) differs from the other members of the genus in the head 

 of the male being rufous and furnished with a full, soft, rounded, and bushy crest; 

 the beak being vermilion, the front of the neck and breast rich dark brown, and the 

 wing speculum white. The female is devoid of a crest, and has the head and neck 

 yellowish white speckled with black, and no white speculum. This species inhabits 

 Southern and Eastern Europe (occasionally ranging northward to the British 



