THE MANDARIN DUCK 



Unlike the majority of the duck tribe, both the mandarin and the summer 

 duck are in the habit of perching on the branches of trees, and make their nests in 

 holes either in the branches or trunk. In this perching habit they resemble the 

 tree-ducks of the genus Dendrocycna. After lining the hole with a plentiful 

 supply of feathers, down, and other soft material, the female lays a clutch of from 

 seven to fifteen eggs. These she incubates herself, carefully covering them up with 

 down every time she leaves the nest ; and she likewise takes sole charge of the 

 ducklings, from the time they are hatched till they are able to shift for themselves. 

 When, as is frequently the case, the nest is situated over water, the ducklings 

 throw themselves down into the water very soon after they are hatched, but in 

 other instances they are carried in the beaks of their parents, as is the case with those 

 of the ordinary wild duck when the nest is built above the level of the ground. 



The food of these ducks, like that of many other members of the tribe, 

 includes insects, worms, water-snails, young frogs, and other water-animals, 

 together, with the leaves and young shoots of various kinds of water-plants. 



The mandarin duck is an active and untiring bird, moving quickly on the 

 ground, and flying easily and rapidly into trees, where it flits from bough to bough 

 with the ease and assurance of a wood-pigeon. It lives and breeds well in con- 

 finement, and may be seen in nearly all zoological gardens, as well as on many 

 ornamental waters. 



In the summer duck, which is a native of North America and Cuba, but 

 occasionally wanders to Jamaica and the Bermudas, the colour of the upper-parts 

 of the male in the breeding-dress is chiefly glossy green, with the cheeks purple, 

 and black patches on the neck, and white stripes on both the head and neck. The 

 wing-coverts are partly blue, the flanks are brown, black, and white, while the 

 breast is chestnut spotted with white, and the rest of the under-parts white ; the 

 beak being a mixture of black, white, purplish, yellow, and scarlet, and the feet 

 yellow. 



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