ANSERES. 41 



of winter, and is gone from the northern parts of the state 

 with the freezing of the streams and ponds. 



36. (144.) Aix SPONSA (Linn.). 255. 



Wood Duck. 



Synonyms: Anas sponsa. 



Summer Duck, Tree Duck, The Bride. 

 Audubon, Orn. Biog., Ill, 1835, 52. 



This duck breeds throughout the state in favorable local- 

 ities. It nests in the woods some distance from water, but 

 must have feeding places within reach of the nest. The 

 young are said to be carried to the water when hatched. 

 There seems to be little difference in numbers during the 

 migrations from those during summer. It can hardly be 

 called a common species, yet it is hardly rare. The first 

 birds appear at Oberlin about the middle of April and are 

 gone by the last of October. 



Subfamily Fuligulin.e. Sea and Bay Ducks. 



Fourteen species represent this family in our state, some 

 of them being rare. The members of this group dive when 

 feeding, frequently to considerable depths. Their food con- 

 sists of the seeds and roots of aquatic plants, mollusks, 

 crustaceans, and some fish in winter. Some members of the 

 group dive as readily as the true divers. Most of the 

 species are found in flocks of varying size during the mi- 

 grations. 



37. (146.) Aythya Americana (Eyt.). 360. 



Redhead. 



Synonyms: ^thya americana, Fuligula ferina var. americana, 

 F. ferina, F. americana. 

 Pochard, American Pochard. 

 Kirtland, Preliminary Report Ohio Geol. Surv., 1838, 67. 



The Redhead is only tolerably common as a migrant. It 

 visits the ponds .and small streams as well as the larger 

 bodies of water. It is a fairly regular visitor to the Oberlin 

 water-works reservoir both spring and autumn. 



