The Wood Duck 



mouth of the hole and tumble out, or are urged out by the mother, falling 

 either into the receptive water, or upon the carpet of leaves at the foot 

 of the nesting tree. If the distance is too great, the mother will carry 

 the youngsters to the ground in her bill, one at a time, until all are out, 

 and then lead them to the nearest water. There is no question but that 

 both these methods are in vogue, so the early recorded discussions of 

 "carry" vs "tumble" are only faintly amusing. 



The Wood Duck, once abundant practically throughout the United 

 States, no longer exists in a hundredth part of its former numbers, and 

 in the East not in a thousandth part. Unceasing exposure to gun-fire 

 has brought its ruin. And for what? Simply that 

 the pot might be kept boiling, that the great 

 American belly might be filled. One 

 has a certain degree of sympathy for 



JUST DUCKS 



Photo by the A uthor * 



the ancient Hawaiians who unwittingly exterminated the "Mamo" (Dre- 

 panis pacifica), in order that its blood-red feathers might adorn a chief- 

 tain's cloak. Savages in all ages have envied the birds their gaudy 

 plumage, and have tricked themselves out, as did our own ladies up to 

 a dozen years ago, in borrowed feathers. If the Wood Duck had perished 

 in the cause of human adornment, some feeble word might have been 

 said in justification. But no! it fell before the all-devouring swinishness 

 of the human maw. Because its flesh was sapid, its bridal array was 

 stripped from it and flung on the dump, while its quivering ounce of meat 

 went into the pot. The lord of creation has dined — but where is the 

 Wood Duck? 



Reports are unanimous that the Wood Duck, once abundant, or 

 at least "common," in California, was upon the verge of extinction by 

 1913. Whether or not the "absolute" protection extended at that time 

 by Federal enactment will suffice to bring the species back, remains to 



1799 



