﻿BIRDS 
  OF 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  20I 
  

  

  The 
  Wood 
  duck 
  prefers 
  wooded 
  swamps 
  and 
  flooded 
  lands 
  which 
  

   border 
  on 
  lakes 
  and 
  streams, 
  being 
  rarely 
  seen 
  on 
  the 
  open 
  waters 
  of 
  our 
  

   large 
  lakes 
  and 
  rivers. 
  It 
  is 
  as 
  much 
  at 
  horhe 
  in 
  the 
  woods 
  as 
  a 
  Grouse 
  

   and 
  finds 
  its 
  way 
  among 
  the 
  trees 
  with 
  perfect 
  ease 
  when 
  flying 
  at 
  full 
  speed, 
  

   and 
  is 
  frequently 
  seen 
  perched 
  on 
  trees 
  and 
  stumps. 
  In 
  the 
  fall 
  it 
  fre- 
  

   quently 
  visits 
  wooded 
  hillsides 
  in 
  search 
  of 
  acorns 
  of 
  which 
  it 
  is 
  very 
  fond. 
  

   Its 
  food 
  is 
  principally 
  the 
  seeds 
  of 
  aquatic 
  plants, 
  especially 
  wild 
  rice, 
  and 
  

   insects 
  which 
  abound 
  in 
  swamps. 
  The 
  call 
  of 
  the 
  drake 
  is 
  a 
  mellow 
  peet, 
  

   peet; 
  but 
  when 
  frightened 
  it 
  utters 
  a 
  harsher 
  note 
  which 
  is 
  usually 
  written 
  

   ^hoo 
  eek, 
  'hoo 
  eek 
  . 
  The 
  note 
  of 
  the 
  duck, 
  when 
  startled, 
  is 
  a 
  sharp 
  

   cr-r-e-ek, 
  cr-r-e-ek, 
  cr-r-c-ck, 
  somewhat 
  like 
  the 
  drake's 
  alarm 
  note. 
  The 
  

   nest 
  is 
  placed 
  in 
  a 
  hollow 
  tree 
  or 
  stump, 
  its 
  entrance 
  often 
  being 
  

   so 
  small 
  that 
  one 
  would 
  hardly 
  believe 
  that 
  the 
  bird 
  could 
  enter 
  

   it. 
  The 
  eggs 
  are 
  from 
  8 
  to 
  i6 
  in 
  number 
  of 
  a 
  yellowish 
  white 
  color 
  

   and 
  average 
  2.05 
  x 
  1.5 
  inches 
  in 
  size. 
  Nests 
  containing 
  as 
  many 
  as 
  23 
  

   eggs 
  are 
  sometimes 
  found, 
  probably 
  the 
  laying 
  of 
  two 
  ducks. 
  The 
  young 
  

   climb 
  to 
  the 
  entrance 
  of 
  the 
  hole 
  and 
  tumble 
  into 
  the 
  water 
  if 
  the 
  nest 
  is 
  

   near 
  its 
  surface, 
  if 
  far 
  from 
  the 
  water 
  and 
  high 
  up, 
  they 
  are 
  carried 
  down 
  

   by 
  the 
  female 
  in 
  her 
  bill 
  and 
  led 
  to 
  the 
  water. 
  They 
  are 
  dark 
  brown 
  in 
  

   color, 
  a 
  whitish 
  bar 
  along 
  the 
  back 
  of 
  the 
  wing, 
  a 
  roundish 
  spot 
  on 
  each 
  

   side 
  of 
  the 
  rump 
  ; 
  a 
  stripe 
  over 
  the 
  eye 
  and 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  head 
  yellowish 
  buff 
  

   with 
  a 
  band 
  of 
  blackish 
  brown 
  from 
  the 
  eye 
  to 
  the 
  back 
  of 
  the 
  head 
  ; 
  under 
  

   parts 
  whitish, 
  browner 
  on 
  the 
  sides, 
  the 
  flanks 
  with 
  a 
  whitish 
  bar. 
  Incuba- 
  

   tion 
  continues 
  for 
  four 
  weeks. 
  

  

  The 
  Wood 
  duck 
  is 
  easily 
  domesticated 
  and 
  bred 
  in 
  captivity. 
  There 
  

   is 
  no 
  doubt 
  that 
  this 
  species 
  will 
  some 
  day 
  be 
  successfully 
  propagated 
  by 
  

   the 
  State 
  and 
  liberated 
  as 
  trout 
  and 
  oysters 
  have 
  been. 
  

  

  Subfamily 
  F^XJLIGULINAE. 
  

  

  Sea 
  and 
  Bay 
  Ducks 
  

  

  Tarsus 
  scuUate 
  in 
  front; 
  hind 
  toe 
  lobed. 
  In 
  this 
  group 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  

   tendency 
  to 
  shorter 
  bill, 
  deeper 
  at 
  the 
  base, 
  than 
  in 
  the 
  River 
  ducks. 
  The 
  

   feet 
  are 
  larger, 
  and 
  the 
  legs 
  shorter 
  and 
  placed 
  farther 
  back, 
  and 
  usually 
  

  

  