THE SUMMER DUCK. 209 



snug, unsuspicious looking hole in some old tree near 

 the water edge, where, if unmolested, she will breed 

 many years in succession, carrying down her young 

 when ready to fly, in her bill, and placing them in the 

 water. The drake is very attentive to the female while 

 she is laying, and yet more so while she is engaged in 

 the duties of incubation ; constantly wheeling about on 

 the wing among the branches, near the nest on which 

 she is sitting, and greeting ^her with a little undertoned 

 murmur of affection, or perching on a bough of the same 

 tree, as if to keep watch over her. 



The following account of their habits is so true, and 

 the anecdote illustrating them so pretty and pleasing, 

 that I cannot refrain from quoting it, for the benefit of 

 those of my readers who may not be so fortunate as to 

 have cultivated a familiar friendship with the pages of 

 that eloquent pioneer of the natural history of the woods 

 and wilds and waters of America, the Scottish Wilson, 

 who has done more for that science than any dead or liv- 

 ing man, with the sole exception of his immortal suc- 

 cessor, the great and good Audubon ; and whose works 

 will stand side by side with his, so long as truthfulness 

 of details, correctness of classification, eloquence of 

 style, and a pure taste and love for rural sounds and 

 sights shall command a willing audience. Speaking of 

 this bird he says 



"It is familiarly known in every quarter of the United 

 States, from Florida to Lake Ontario, in the neighbor- 



