204 



looked discontentedly over the supper ta- curling up in the softest part of the nest, 



ble where his family were contentedly and covering his nose with his paws was 



nibbling at an ear of nice yellow corn, soon snoring heavily. 



"Nothing but corn for supper," he grum- "I think this is the shock, Sam. I am 



kled. sure I heard a mouse squeal when I went 



Mrs. Field Mouse resolutely kept her by this morning. Now, Fido !" 



temper and went on placidly eating. There was a great rattling of stalks, a 



"Well, have you decideded to move?" she sharp bark, a rush and Fido licked his 



asked, pleasantly. "I have discovered a chops and nosed about the place where 



barrel of broomcorn seed setting up in Mr. Field Mouse had been contentedly 



the granary that will make a snug home snoozing but a few moments before, but 



for the winter. No one will be likely to he did not find any more dainty tidbits, 



disturb us, and on the whole I think it for Mrs. Field Mouse and her children 



will be a desirable change," she said. were safely skurrying away over the stub- 



"II is too far away from the pile of ble in the direction of the granary. 



sugar cane to suit me, I fear," he said, Mary Morrison. 



THE FULVOUS TREE-DUCK. 



( Hendrocyng a fulva . ) 



The Tree Ducks are natives of tropical we had prepared for collecting, we would 



or semi-tropical countries. Two species flush immense flocks of this duck, which 



are found in the United States, the bird would fly over our heads at rather a low 



of our illustration and the Black-bellied altitude and continuously calling. On 



Tree-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis). several occasions we obtained specimens 



The range of the fulvous species extends by firing into a flock while it was still so 



from the southern border of the United dark that we could scarcely define the 



States, and in Nevada and California, outlines of the individual birds. The Ful- 



southward through Mexico, and reap- vous Tree-Duck generally feeds in the 



pears in the southern portion of Brazil night and usually at a place several miles 



and in the Argentine Republic. It has from the nesting site. They leave the 



also been reported as a visitor to the feeding grounds on the first sign of ap- 



states of North Carolina and Missouri, preaching day. During my stay of three 



Mr. Frank M. Woodruff, in speaking months in the Brazos river region only 

 of his experience while on a collecting on one or two occasions did I have an op- 

 tour in Texas, says-, "I found the Fulvous portunity to observe this bird by the light 

 Tree-Duck in small numbers resident on of day. In form it resembles a miniature 

 Galveston Island, but found them abund- swan. It stands very high on its legs 

 ant and nesting in the heavy timber along and presents a wonderfully curious and 

 the Brazos river, sixty miles from Calves- graceful appearance as it walks along the 

 ton. In the early morning, as we would shore feeding on shellfish and decaying 

 leave our boat and make our way to our matter." 

 blinds, on some small inland pond where 



