56 WOOD DUCK, 



would return with a duckling held between her lips, when I would take 

 it from her unhurt. 



While residing at Henderson, I thought of taming a number of Wood 

 Ducks. In the course of a few days Juno procured for me, in the man- 

 ner above described, as many as I had a mind for, and they were convey- 

 ed home in a bag. A dozen or more were placed in empty flour barrels, 

 and covered over for some hours, with the view of taming them the sooner. 

 Several of these barrels were placed in the yard, but whenever I went 

 and raised their lids, I found all the little ones hooked by their sharp 

 claws to the very edge of their prisons, and, the instant that room was 

 granted, they would tumble over and run oif in all directions. I after- 

 wards frequently saw these young birds rise from the bottom to the brim 

 of a cask, by moving a few inches at a time up the side, and fixing foot 

 after foot by means of their diminutive hooked claws, which, in passing 

 over my hand, I found to have points almost as fine as those of a needle. 

 They fed freely on corn meal soaked in water, and as they grew, collect- 

 ed flies with great expertness. When they were half-grown I gave them 

 great numbers of our common locusts yet unable to fly, which were ga- 

 thered by boys from the trunks of trees and the " iron weeds," a species of 

 wild hemp very abundant in that portion of the country. These I would 

 throw to them on the water of the artificial pond which I had in my gar- 

 den, when the eagerness with which they would scramble and fight for 

 them always afforded me great amusement. They grew up apace, when 

 I pinioned them all, and they subsequently bred in my grounds in boxes 

 which I had placed conveniently over the water, with a board or sticks 

 leading to them, and an abundant supply of proper materials for a nest 

 placed in them. 



Few birds are more interesting to observe during the love season than 

 Wood Ducks. The great beauty and neatness of their apparel, and the 

 grace of their motions, always afford pleasure to the observer ; and, as I 

 have had abundant opportunities of studying their habits at that period, 

 I am enabled to present you with a full account of their proceedings. 



When March has again returned, and the Dogwood expands its pure 

 blossoms to the sun, the Cranes soar away on their broad wings, bidding 

 our country adieu for a season, flocks of water-fowls are pursuing their 

 early migrations, the frogs issue from their muddy beds to pipe a few notes 

 of languid joy, the Swallow hag just arrived, and the Bluebird has re- 

 turned to his box. The Wood Duck almost alone remains on the pool, 



