THE WOOD-DUCK. 217 



back is a greenish bronze, the tail dark green; breast 

 rich brown spotted with white ; the wings blue, green, 

 black, and silver-grey ; and the under parts white, tinged 

 with delicate violet. Many of these feathers are highly 

 valued by artificial-fly makers. 



The female, besides the above difference in the crest, 

 is a smaller bird, though both are below the average size 

 and weight of most ducks. She is less brilliant in the 

 colouring of her plumage, and is also less careful of it 

 than her mate, freely stripping her breast of its soft 

 down to line her nest. She lays generally about a 

 dozen eggs, which are of a rich cream colour and highly 

 polished. 



When the young are sufficiently fledged, the mother 

 carries them in her bill, one by one, from their compara- 

 tively lofty nest to the water, in which they begin to 

 swirn about at once in search of food. From this time 

 until they are able to fly they live among the reeds and 

 long grass, carefully watched and defended by their 

 parent. 



The Wood-duck appears to be less dependent for food 

 on aquatic productions than any other of its tribe ; insects, 

 seeds, grain, and acorns forming the most important part 

 of its sustenance. The flesh is well flavoured, though not 

 equal to that of the teal, and some others. 



They breed during the months of May or June, 



