BIRDS OF NEW YORK 20I 



The Wood duck prefers wooded swamps and flooded lands which 

 border on lakes and streams, being rarely seen on the open waters of our 

 large lakes and rivers. It is as much at home in the woods as a Grouse 

 and finds its way among the trees with perfect ease when flying at full speed, 

 and is frequently seen perched on trees and stumps. In the fall it fre- 

 quently visits wooded hillsides in search of acorns of which it is very fond. 

 Its food is principally the seeds of aquatic plants, especially wild rice, and 

 insects which abound in swamps. The call of the drake is a mellow peet, 

 peet; but when frightened it utters a harsher note which is usvially written 

 'hoo eek, 'hoo eek . The note of the duck, when startled, is a sharp 

 cr-r-e-ek, cr-r-e-ek, cr-r-S-ek, somewhat like the drake's alarm note. The 

 nest is placed in a hollow tree or stump, its entrance often being 

 so small that one would hardly believe that the bird could enter 

 it. The eggs are from 8 to i6 in nvimber of a yellowish white color 

 and average 2.05 x 1.5 inches in size. Nests containing as many as 23 

 eggs are sometimes found, probably the laying of two ducks. The young 

 climb to the entrance of the hole and tumble into the water if the nest is 

 near its surface, if far from the water and high up, they are carried down 

 by the female in her bill and led to the water. They are dark brown in 

 color, a whitish bar along the back of the wing, a roundish spot on each 

 side of the rump ; a stripe over the eye and sides of the head yellowish buff 

 with a band of blackish brown from the eye to the back of the head; under 

 parts whitish, browner on the sides, the flanks with a. whitish bar. Incuba- 

 tion continues for four weeks. 



The Wood duck is easily domesticated and bred in captivity. There 

 is no doubt that this species will some day be successfully propagated by 

 the State and liberated as trout and oysters have been. 



Subfamily KULIGULINAE 



Sea and Bay Ducks 



Tarsus scuUate in front; hind toe lobed. In this group there is a 

 tendency to shorter bill, deeper at the base, than in the River ducks. The 

 feet are larger, and the legs shorter and placed farther back, and usually 



