WOOD DUCK; SUMMER DUCK 41 



nearly around neck. A rather shrill squeaking quack 

 when they go off. It is remarkable how much more 

 game you will see if you are in the habit of sitting in the 

 fields and woods. As you pass along with a noise it hides 

 itself, but presently comes forth again. 



Nov. 9, 1855. Saw in the pool at the Hemlocks what 

 I at first thought was a brighter leaf moved by the 

 zephyr on the surface of the smooth dark water, but it 

 was a splendid male summer duck, which allowed us to 

 approach within seven or eight rods, sailing up close to 

 the shore, and then rose and flew up the curving stream. 

 We soon overhauled it again, and got a fair and long 

 view of it. It was a splendid bird, a perfect floating 

 gem, and Blake, 1 who had never seen the like, was 

 greatly surprised, not knowing that so splendid a bird 

 was found in this part of the world. There it was, con- 

 stantly moving back and forth by invisible means and 

 wheeling on the smooth surface, showing now its breast, 

 now its side, now its rear. It had a large, rich, flowing, 

 green burnished crest, — a most ample head-dress, — 

 two crescents of dazzling white on the side of the head 

 and the black neck, a pinkish(?)-red bill (with black 

 tip) and similar irides, and a long white mark under 

 and at wing point on sides ; the side, as if the form of 

 wing at this distance, light bronze or greenish brown ; 

 but, above all, its breast, when it turns into the right 

 light, all aglow with splendid purple (?) or ruby (?) 

 reflections, like the throat of the hummingbird. It 

 might not appear so close at hand. This was the most 

 surprising to me. What an ornament to a river to see 



1 [Thoreau's friend Harrison G. 0. Blake of Worcester, Mass.] 



