34 BIRD NAMES. [No. 12. 



WOOD DUCK (see No. 22): SUMMER DUCK: widely known 

 by one or both of these titles, and commonly conceded to be the 

 most beautiful of our water-fowl. It may be added that as a 

 table bird it stands also very high. 



At East Haddam, Conn., it is the WIDGEON.* "A good 

 many here call it Wood Duck," said a local gunner, " because it 

 builds its nest in trees, but most of us know that its real name 

 is Widgeon." Farther down the Connecticut River, we hear 

 WOOD WIDGEON: "Always called it so," said an Essex ducker, 

 "until Clark told us its right name." Mr. John N. Clark, of 

 Saybrook, near by, being the authority referred to. 



At Pocomoke City (Worcester Co.), Maryland, and in the 

 vicinity of Charleston, S. C., ACORN DUCK. Mentioned in Bel- 

 knap's History of New Hampshire, 1784, as CRESTED WOOD 

 DUCK: and Latham writes, Synopsis, 1785 : " By some called TREE 

 DUCK (see No. 22). Our " Tree-ducks " proper, met with along 

 southwestern border of the United States and southward, be- 

 long to the genus Dendrocygna. 



* See our Widgeon of the books, No. 8 ; also Nos. 9, 13, 17, 31. 



