376 



Female. — With much plainer colours, feathers about base of the bill, space on 

 ■side of head, surrounding eyes and extending back in a point, chin and whole 

 throat, white ; general colour of the rest of the body grayish brown. Total length 

 about 17.75 inches; extent, 28.00; wing, 8.50 ; culmen, 1.10 ; tarsus, 1.35 ; middle 

 toe, 1.60. 



Habitat — Whole of temperate north America, north to the fur countries, 

 breeding throughout its range. Cuba. Accidental in Europe. 



The Wood duck is by far the most beautiful and most graceful ot all the 

 North American ducks or in fact of those of any other country. It is distributed 

 pretty generally over the North American continent from Southern Mexico to 

 Hudson's Bay and from one side of the continent to the other and it breeds from 

 Texas to the northern part of Ontario. It migrates to the north early in April 

 and returns in October. When they first appear here in Ontario they are gener- 

 ally in pairs. It breeds very generally throughout Ontario especially the southern 

 part of it, nesting in hollow trees near some pond or other quiet water. They 

 are very fond of a quiet secluded spot and have been known to return for many 

 years to the same nesting tree. The full set of eggs is from 10 to 12 of a shiny 

 cream colour. When the young birds are hatched it is said the mother deposits 

 them on the ground by carrying them down in her bill. This handsome duck is 

 not nearly so plentiful as in former years, and like many other birds which are 

 among our most beautiful objects in nature is doomed to extinction, if some 

 better effort be not made to prevent their slaughter. The Wood duck feeds chiefly 

 on insects, seeds, and leaves of plants, acorns, etc. It is much sought after by 

 sportsmen not only on account of its beautiful appearance but also for the table. 



