THE BRASS-EYED DUCK. 231 



wings and that this noise is never made by the 

 female, in this his opinion differs from that of 

 many other writers. In his belief the labyrinth 



an enlargement of the wind-pipe found in the 

 male of most ducks and but seldom in the female 



explains the whistling sound so commonly 

 heard when these birds fly near us. 



Food notoriously gives flavor to the flesh of 

 ducks as well as other animals. On the sea 

 coast, where it feeds on fish and perhaps shell 

 fish, the flesh of the brass-eye or golden-wing is 

 notoriously bad, but like Mr. Hunter, other au- 

 thors have declared that inland the bird is ex- 

 cellent eating. 



The observation of the destruction of the 

 brood by the maskinonge is worth recording. 

 Pike, pickerel, maskinonge and snapping turtles 

 are notorious enemies of young duck.] 



