284 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 



to the south during the winter; but in some of the 

 southern states it is occasionally met with throughout 

 the year. Its favourite haunts are the solitary, deep, 

 and muddy creeks, ponds, and mill-dams of the interior, 

 which it seldom quits to visit the sea-shore. In Penn- 

 sylvania the female generally begins to lay late in April 

 or early in May, and instances have been known in 

 which the nest was constructed of a few sticks laid in 

 a fork of the branches of a tree. More commonly, 

 however, the inside of a hollow trmik is selected for 

 this purpose, from which circumstance the bird has 

 sometimes been called the Wood Duck. The eggs, 

 which are very numerous, for Wilson found thirteen in 

 one nest, are exactly oval, smaller than those of a hen, 

 with a finely grained surface, of the highest polish, and 

 slightly yellowish. The female appears, from a curious 

 history given by Wilson, to make her nest in the same 

 spot, if undisturbed, for several successive years. This 

 species is seldom seen in flocks of more than three or 

 four, and most commonly in pairs or singly. Their 

 food consists principally of acorns, the seeds of the 

 wild oats, and insects ; and their flesh is said to be 

 inferior to that of the Blue-winged Teal, but they are 

 nevertheless frequent in the markets of Philadelphia. 



The Summer Duck is very easily tamed, and even 

 becomes so familiar as to suffer its back to be stroked 

 with the hand. Wilson was informed by a credible 

 witness whom he names, that he had seen a whole 

 yard swarming with Summer Ducks, tamed and com- 

 pletely domesticated, which bred as well, and were as 

 familiar, as any other tame fowls. In Europe their 

 great beauty has long procured them a place in fancy 

 collections, of which they form a conspicuous ornament. 



