SUMMER DUCK, OR WOOD DUCK. 203 



he had seen the female, the spring 1 preceding 1 , carry down 

 thirteen young, one by one, in less than ten minutes. 

 She caught them in her bill by the wing or back of the 

 neck, and landed them safely at the foot of the tree, 

 whence she afterwards led them to the water. Under 

 this same tree, at the time I visited it, a large sloop lay 

 on the stocks, nearly finished, the deck was not more 

 than twelve feet distant from the nest, yet notwith- 

 standing the presence and noise of the workmen, the 

 ducks would not abandon their old breeding place, but 

 continued to pass out and in, as if no person had been 

 near. The male usually perched on an adjoining limb, 

 and kept watch while the female was laying, and also 

 often while she was sitting. A tame goose had chosen 

 a hollow space at the root of the same tree, to lay and 

 hatch her young in. 



The summer duck seldom flies in flocks of more than 

 three or four individuals together, and most commonly 

 in pairs, or singly. The common note of the drake is 

 peet,peet; but when, standing sentinel, he sees danger, 

 he makes a noise not unlike the crowing of a young 

 cock, oe eek! oe eek! Their food consists principally of 

 acorns, seeds of the wild oats, and insects. Their flesh 

 is inferior to that of the blue-winged teal. They are 

 frequent in the markets of Philadelphia. 



Among other gaudy feathers with which the Indians 

 ornament the calumet or pipe of peace, the skin of the 

 head and neck of the summer duck is frequently seen 

 covering the stem. 



This beautiful bird has often been tamed, and soon 

 becomes so familiar as to permit one to stroke its back 

 with the hand. I have seen individuals so tamed in 

 various parts of the Union. Captain Boyer, collector 

 of the port of Havre-de-Grace, informs me, that about 

 forty years ago, a Mr Nathan Nicols, who lived on the 

 west side of Gunpowder Creek, had a whole yard 

 swarming with summer ducks, which he had tamed and 

 completely domesticated, so that they bred and were as 

 familiar as any other tame fowls; that he (Captain 

 Boyer) himself saw them in that state, but does no 



