FULVOUS TREE DUCK 



379 



Of the food of this species, Grinnell, Bryant, and Storer (1918) 

 say: "The Fulvous Tree-duck feeds largely on the seeds of grasses and 

 weeds. In Mexico and Texas it is said to visit the cornfields at night 

 where it finds palatable 

 provender. When feeding 

 in muddy or marshy situa- 

 tions the birds thrust their 

 bills deep in the soft mud 

 on both sides and in front 

 of them as they walk along. 

 The stomach of an individ- 

 ual . . . examined by us, 

 contained finely cut up grass 

 and other vegetable matter." 

 Shields (1899) says that 

 these ducks "are equally at 

 home in an alfalfa patch 

 (about dusk) or in a lake of 

 water, and are entirely at 

 home in an oak forest .... 

 where they are said to as- 

 semble for the purpose of 

 feeding on acorns." 



They are easily ap- 

 proached, but not easy to 

 find, as they inhabit the 

 dense tules and marshy 

 ponds. If suddenly sur- 

 prised they will often stand rigidly with their long necks up-stretched 

 and in this pose may readily be mistaken for standing stalks of the sur- 

 rounding vegetation. Col. Grayson is quoted by Lawrence (1874) as 

 saying: "Their flesh is white, juicy, and, feeding upon grain and seed, 

 is free from the strong or rank flavor of most other ducks; they are 

 rather heavy or bulky and usually fat. . . . When only winged they 

 are almost sure to make their escape, which their long and stout legs 

 enable them to do, running and springing with extraordinary agility, 

 and ultimately eluding pursuit by dodging into the grass or nearest 

 thicket; if the water is deep they dive, and as they rise to breathe, 

 having only the head above water, and that concealed among the 

 water plants, they are soon abandoned by the hunter." 



