550 The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



others. Shrenck states that the Mandarin Duck is a wild species, appearing about May in the 

 various countries watered by the river Amoor, and disappearing again about August. At tliis 

 season it is met with in flocks, sometimes large and sometimes small, but so shy as rarely to come 

 within shot. He also states that he has often seen the birds perching upon trees, which is no 

 doubt a habit, being certainly common to the Carolina variety. The Chinese mandarins obtain 

 their specimens from the country north of Pekin. 



The Mandarin Drake is somewhat quarrelsome, especially when penned for exhibition. Care 

 should therefore be taken only to show birds which have been previously mated, for want of which 

 precaution we have seen the duck killed by the angry male. Even with this precaution such 

 accidents will sometimes happen with birds not perfectly tamed ; and small, recently-imported 

 specimens can only be shown at some risk. 



THE CAROLINA DUCK, also called the Summer Duck or Wood Duck of America, is 

 manifestly closely related to the foregoing, and has received from naturalists the same family name 

 oi Aix sponsa. The drake possesses a beautiful crest, but is without the singular wing-fans which 

 give so peculiar an appearance to the Mandarin. For the following notes upon this beautiful variety 

 we are indebted to one of its most successful exhibitors, Mr. Matthew Leno, of Dunstable :— 



" The Carolina, or Summer Duck, is a native of North America. It is certainly one of the 

 most beautiful specimens of ornamental water-fowl, and no poultry-show is complete without it, 

 where, if in full plumage, it never fails to have plenty of admirers. It is said rarely to visit the 

 sea-shore, and in its habits to be somewhat solitary, while, being also strictly monogamous, it is 

 usually seen flying singly or in pairs. The note of the male is like the syllables ' Peet, peet.' 



" The adult drake has a red bill margined with black nearly to the tip, with a spot of black 

 between the nostrils, and a sort of hooked nail at the extreme point. The irides of the eye are 

 orange red. The crown, front of the head, and pendent crest are a rich glossy bronze green, 

 changing into violet to finish off, and beautifully marked with a line of pure white running from the 

 upper mandible over the eye, with another band of white proceeding from behind the eye; and 

 both mingling their long plumes with the green and violet of the crest, produce a very striking 

 appearance. The throat and a kind of collar in front of the neck are pure white, curving up in the 

 form of a crescent nearly to behind the eye. The cheeks and side of the upper neck are violet, the 

 breast dark brown or chestnut tinged with violet [we should call it claret-colour], and marked with 

 small white spots, which increase in size till they reach the white of the belly. Each side of the 

 breast, at the shoulder, has a large crescent of white shaded by a broader one of deep black 

 immediately behind it. The sides of the body, under the wings, are thickly marked with fine 

 undulating parallel lines of black over a ground of yellowish drab, the flanks being ornamented with 

 broad semicircular bands or stripes of white shaded with black. The sides of the vent are light 

 violet ; the tail-coverts long, of a hair-hke texture at the sides, and in colour of a deep black tinged 

 with yellow. The back is dusky bronze tinged with green ; scapulars blackish green and purple ; 

 tail tapering, and black glossed with green above, dusky below ; wing-spot, or speculum, blue and 

 green. Legs and feet yellowish red, with strong hooked claws. About June the plumage changes 

 to nearly the same colour as the female, the drake resuming his brilliant dress in September. 



"The head of the duck also has a small crest. Behind the eye is a bar of white, the chin and 

 throat also oeing white. . The head and neck are dark drab ; breast a dusky brown marked with 

 white spots ; back and part of the wings dark glossy bronze brown. The brighter the reflections 

 of gold and green over the duck the more she is esteemed in value. She has a wing-spot like the 

 male, but not so bright. 



