THE MANDARIN DUCK. 



{Atx galerita.) 



The Mandarin Duck occupies in 

 China the same position that the wood 

 or summer duck (Aix sponsa) does in 

 the United States. ''Woodland ponds 

 and forest-bordered streams make a 

 proper setting- for the grace and beauty 

 of these richly attired birds." While 

 these words were applied by Mr. Chap- 

 man to the wood duck, they are fully as 

 appropriate when used in a description of 

 its sister species in the countries across 

 the sea. The Mandarin Duck is a native 

 of China, where it is held in great 

 esteem, and the Chinese are not easily 

 influenced to part with them, for they are 

 very loth to have these birds pass into 

 the hands of foreigners. Dr. Bennett, 

 who had expressed a desire for a pair of 

 Mandarin Ducks, received a letter from 

 a friend in China who' said : ''I could 

 more easily send you two live Man- 

 darins than a pair of Mandarin 

 Ducks." The Chinese look upon this 

 duck as "a most striking example of 

 conjugal attachment and fidelity." This 

 strong attachment of the male and his 

 mate for each other is well illustrated by 

 an anecdote of a pair which were con- 

 fined in an aviary. One day this aviary 

 was broken open and the male bird was 

 stolen from the side of his mate. "She 

 refused to be comforted, and, retiring to 

 the farthest part of the aviary, sat dis- 

 consolate, rarely partaking of food, and 

 giving no attention to her soiled and 

 rumpled plumage. In vain did another 

 handsome drake endeavor tO' console her 

 for her loss. After some time the stolen 

 bird was found in the quarters of a mis- 

 erable Chinaman, and at once restored to 

 its mate. As soon as he recognized his 

 abode he began to flap his wings and 

 quack vehemently. She heard his voice 

 and almost quacked to screaming with 

 ecstacy, both expressing their joy by 

 crossing necks and quacking in concert. 

 The next morning he fell upon the unfor- 

 tunate drake whoi had made consolatory^ 

 advances to his mate, pecked out his eyes 

 and so injured him that the poor fellow 

 died in the course of a few days." 



Though web- footed, the Mandarin 

 Ducks have the power of perching and 

 it is a curious sight to watch them on 

 the branches of trees which overhang the 

 pond in which they live, the male and 

 female being always close together — the 

 one gorgeous in purple, green, white, and 

 chestnut, and the other soberly appar- 

 elled in brown and gray. This handsome 

 plumage the male loses during four 

 months of the year, from May to August, 

 when he throws off his fine crest, his 

 wing-fans, and all his brilliant colors, 

 assuming the sober tinted dress of his 

 mate. The summer duck of America 

 bears a close resemblance to the Man- 

 darin Duck, both in plumage and man- 

 ners, and at certain times of the year is 

 hardly to be distinguished from that bird. 

 This foreign species has been success- 

 fully raised in the zoological gardens of 

 various portions of the world. In such 

 places, as a rule, the young have been 

 hatched under a domestic hen, though 

 the parent duck has been allowed to per- 

 form the duties of incubation in some 

 instances. It is said that the eggs are 

 hatched from two to three days earlier 

 when placed under the care of a hen. 

 Mandarin Ducks are not only greatly 

 admired for the brilliancy of the male's 

 plumage, but as well for their graceful 

 carriage when swimming and their gen- 

 tle dispositions. Their flight is rapid 

 and easy, and they fly among trees with 

 the same facility as does the American 

 wood duck. 



The color scheme of the plumage of 

 this Chinese Duck would almost lead one 

 to say that the bird was dressed with a 

 studied attire. Mr. Hornaday has made 

 the following comparison of the plum- 

 ages of three of the most beautiful ducks, 

 two of which are American. He says : 

 'The pintail is to the wood duck as a 

 well-gowned American woman is to a 

 Chinese IMandarin." And again he says : 

 "The wood duck needs no description. 

 Among ducks it is equalled in gorgeous 

 colors only by its nearest relative, the 

 IMandarin Duck of China — a painted 

 harlequin." 



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