THE SUMMER DUCK, OR WOOD DUCK. 



Anas Sponsa. 



THIS lovely species of the most beautiful of the whole 

 Duck tribe, is peculiar to the continent and isles of 

 America, being familiarly known through almost every 

 portion of the United States, and according to Wilson, 

 common in Mexico and the West India Islands. In 

 Florida it is very abundant, as it is, more or less, on all 

 the fresh waters so far north as the interior of the State 

 of ISTew York ; in the colder regions, to the north-east- 

 ward, though not unknown, it is of less frequent occur- 

 rence than in more genial climates. 



Its more correct title, " Summer Duck," is referable 

 to the fact, that it is not, like most of the Anatides and 

 FuligulcB) fresh water and sea ducks, more or less a bird 

 of passage, retiring to the fastnesses of the extreme north, 

 for the purposes of nidification, and rearing its young ; 

 but, wherever it abounds, is a permanent citizen of the 

 land, raising its family in the very place where itself was 

 born, and not generally, if undisturbed, moving very far 



