34. BIRD NAMES. [No. 12. 



WOOD DUCK (see No. 22): SUMMER DUCK: widely known 

 by one or both of these titles, and commonly conceded to be the 

 most beautiful of our water-fowl. It may be added that as a 

 table bird it stands also very high. 



At East Haddam, Conn., it is the WIDGEON.* "A good 

 many here call it Wood Duck," said a local gunner, " because it 

 builds its nest in trees, but most of us know that its real name 

 is Widgeon." Farther down the Connecticut River, we hear 

 WOOD WIDGEON: "Always called it so," said an Essex ducker, 

 "until Clark told us its right name." Mr. John K Clark, of 

 Saybrook, near by, being the authority referred to. 



At Pocomoke City (Worcester Co.), Maryland, and in the 

 vicinity of Charleston, S. C., ACORN DUCK. Mentioned in Bel- 

 knap's History of New Hampshire, 1784, as CRESTED WOOD 

 DUCK: and Latham writes. Synopsis, 1785 : " By some called TREE 

 DUCK (see No. 22). Our " Tree-ducks " proper, met with along 

 southwestern border of the United States and southward, be- 

 long to the genus Dendrocygna. 



* See our Widgeon of the books, No. 8 ; also Nos. 9, 13, 17, 31. 



