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years successfully their young broods. In order to obtain additional 

 information concerning the habits of the Wood-Duck and the manner 

 in which their young reach the ground from their aerial nests, I made 

 some special inquiries of Mr. Irwin, which were kindly responded 

 to by that gentleman. As they embody his original observations 

 upon the habits of the Wood-Duck in his vicinity, I quote the chief 

 portion of his last note, which I received under date of November 

 15th, of this year. 



Mr. Irwin states, that the Wood-Ducks generally commence here 

 to nest about the middle of April, and always choose trees with suit- 

 able holes or hollows, in which to build their nests, preferring 

 for this purpose rather high elevations. They deposit from nine 

 to fourteen eggs, of a yellowish-white color, and their incuba- 

 tion lasts four weeks. The young birds, after being hatched, remain 

 in the nests only about twenty-four hours, and their toe-nails are 

 then almost hooked like those of the birds of prey, and sharp as a 

 needle at the point. When they are ready to descend from their 

 nests, whether low or high, the old bird comes to the mouth of the 

 hole, and takes for about a half hour a careful survey of the sur- 

 roundings, to ascertain, as it were, that no intruder is near, and next 

 utters a low call. The ducklings seem to understand its significance 

 and now quickly make their appearance in front of the hole, which 

 often extends to a depth of from six to ten feet. By means of their 

 sharp toe-nails they easily manage to climb up on the inside of the deep 

 holes, at the entrance of which they remain a few minutes huddled to- 

 gether about the old bird. These preliminaries completed, the mother 

 again descends to the ground near the tree, and calls upon her young 

 brood, which now drop, one by one, from their airy perch, without 

 any apparent hesitation whatever. Their bodies are already so 

 thickly covered with down, that they seem to fall, as Mr. Irwin says, 

 like a leaf to the ground. When the last duckling has accomplished 

 this feat, they all gather again about the old bird, who now takes the 

 lead and guides them to the nearest water, which they reach in a 

 few mjnutes. The nest of the Wood-Duck is rarely more than 

 fifteen or seventy rods away from it, and the young brood quickly 

 hides under the shelter of any near-by cover for protection against 

 their winged and- four-footed enemies. In the course of a week or 

 more they exchange this first retreat for one affording better security. 



