WOOD DUCK. 57 



as if to afford us an opportunity of studying the habits of its tribe. Here 

 they are, a whole flock of beautiful birds, the males chasing their rivals, 

 the females coquetting with their chosen beaux. Observe that fine drake ! 

 how gracefully he raises his head and curves his neck ! As he bows before 

 the object of his love, he raises for a moment his silken crest. His 

 throat is swelled, and from it there issues a guttural sound, which to his 

 beloved is as sweet as the song of the Wood Thrush to its gentle mate. 

 The female, as if not unwilling to manifest the desire to please which she 

 really feels, swims close by his side, now and then caresses him by touch- 

 ing his feathers with her bill, and shews displeasure towards any other of 

 her sex that may come near. Soon the happy pair separate from the rest, 

 repeat every now and then their caresses, and at length, having sealed the 

 conjugal compact, fly off to the woods to search for a large woodpecker's 

 hole. Occasionally the males fight with each other, but their combats are 

 not of long duration, nor is the field ever stained with blood, the loss of a 

 few feathers or a sharp tug of the head being generally enough to decide 

 the contest. Although the Wood Ducks always form their nests in the 

 hollow of a tree, their caresses are performed exclusively on the water, to 

 which they resort for the purpose, even when their loves have been first 

 proved far above the ground on a branch of some tall sycamore. While 

 the female is depositing her eggs, the male is seen to fly swiftly past the 

 hole in which she is hidden, erecting his crest, and sending forth his love- 

 notes, to which she never fails to respond. 



On the ground the Wood Duck runs nimbly and with more grace 

 than most other birds of its tribe. On reaching the shore of a pond or 

 stream, it immediately shakes its tail sidewise, looks around, and proceeds 

 in search of food. It moves on the larger branches of trees with the same 

 apparent ease ; and, while looking at thirty or forty of these birds perch- 

 ed on a single sycamore on the bank of a secluded bayou, I have conceived 

 the sight as pleasing as any that I have ever enjoyed. They always re- 

 minded me of the Muscovy Duck, of which they look as if a highly 

 finished and flattering miniature. They frequently prefer walking on an 

 inclined log or the fallen trunk of a tree, one end of which lies in the 

 water, while the other rests on the steep bank, to betaking themselves to 

 flight at the sight of an approaching enemy. In this manner I have seen 

 a whole flock walk from the water into the woods, as a steamer was ap- 

 proaching them in the eddies of the Ohio or Mississippi. They swim 

 and dive well, when wounded and closely pursued, often stopping at the 



