140 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:4— April, 1920 



We have but the one species of Rhynchops in our avifauna, while 

 other forms occur in South America. When fullgrown, our species 

 has a length of some 19 inches, not including the extra four inches 

 of the closed wings. An old male will weight about 1 2 ounces, and 

 the female about three ounces less. In the female the tail is white 

 and broadly centered with black — otherwise she quite closely 

 resembles the male. Owing to the peculiar conformation of their 

 beaks, the Skimmers can in no way masticate their food, but swal- 

 low it instantly. It will be found that the stomach of the species 

 makes up for this deficiency by being very firm and of dense 

 muscularity. 



Wm. Macgillivray, as usual, gives us a brief, illustrated account 

 of the digestive apparatus of this bird at the close of Audubon's 

 account, in the "great work" of the latter. 



The Wood Duck 



In this number of the Nature-Study Review is included an 

 outline of the Wood Duck which is without question the most 

 highly ornamented of our American birds. This has been done 

 with the hope that an interest in protecting this bird may be 

 aroused and steps be taken for its preservation. Mr. Shields states 

 the case well: "The wood duck is far too beautiful a bird to be 

 killed for food. Its economic value is too small to be worth a 

 moment's consideration. I would as soon think of killing and 

 eating a Baltimore oriole or a scarlet tanager as a wood duck, and I 

 hope to see the day when the latter will be protected all the year 

 round by the laws of all the states in the Union and of all the 

 provinces of Canada." 



The following account of the wood duck is taken from that 

 admirable book Game Birds, Wild-Fowl and Shore Birds, by 

 Edward H. Forbush: 



This species is the loveliest of all wild-fowl. Even the Mandarin 

 Duck of China is not so strikingly beautiful. The female is a 

 fitting bride for her lord. Her plumage is not so bright, but the 

 colors and patterns are neat and modest, and her form and carriage 

 are remarkably attractive. Nature presents no more delightful 

 sight than a flock of these beautiful birds at play on the surface of 



