THE GAME BREEDER 



115 



THE WOOD DUCK. 



By the Editor 



The woodduck often is called the sum- 

 mer duck since it breeds throughout the 

 United States and formerly was observed 

 abundantly in summer when the other 

 migratory ducks were in their northern 

 breeding grounds. In some parts of the 

 country the woodduck is called the acorn 

 duck, evidently because it feeds largely on 

 acorns. 



Often the woodduck is compared with 

 the beautiful mandarin duck but our bird 

 is far handsomer in my opinion and safe- 

 ly it may be said to be the most beautiful 

 wild fowl in, the world. Since it feeds on 

 wild rice and other aquatic plants and on 

 acorns, beechnuts and other mast, its 

 flesh is highly desirable and there are 

 few, if , any, better wild food birds in 

 America. The ornithological name of 

 this duck, sponsa^ the bride was given 

 it undoubtedly on account of its beauty, 

 but it has been well said that it is the 

 drake, or groom, which is beautiful, the 

 female being very quietly attired in gray 

 and brown. 



The woodduck easily is bred under con- 

 trol and in fact it is easily domesticated. 

 Large numbers of woodduck have been 

 bred in Belgium, Holland and other coun- 

 tries from stock procured in America and 

 it is significant that as the birds became 

 scarce in America, where they are pro- 

 tected by many laws prohibiting the 

 shooting, sale, transportation, etc., of 

 woodduck, the birds became plentiful in 

 countries where they are not so closely 

 protected. Prior to the war American 

 breeders were importing many woodduck 

 from the countries named and often we 

 have pointed out that the money sent 

 abroad for woodduck and other fowls 

 should be sent to American game farmers. 

 The woodduck very easily can be made 

 plentiful for food, but laws preventing 

 the killing and sale of these birds for a 

 periods of years evidently will put a stop 

 to all breeding industry. 



Many readers of The Game Breeder 



now own woodducks. Many ducks are 

 sold at excellent prices. Some readers 

 breed large numbers of woodduck, but 

 if these birds must be put on the song 

 bird list to please the game law enthu- 

 siasts the production of woodducks will 

 cease to grow rapidly, as this industry 

 has grown, and many breeders, no doubt, 

 will cease to rear woodducks. They cer- 

 tainly will not be restored to vast re- 

 gions where they have become extinct ; 

 they certainly will not quickly become an 

 abundant food. 

 . The woodduck is specially mentioned 

 in the treaty with Canada (printed on 

 another page), and the reader will ob- 

 serve that proposition (1) relating to 

 this fowl calls for protection, "by a close 

 season extending over a period of at least 

 five years." 



Intelligent State game officers have fa- 

 vored and encouraged the profitable 

 breeding of woodduck during the past 

 few years with excellent results. Those 

 who seek from Congress the right to 

 make criminal laws have favored a close 

 season on woodduck and they ao not 

 seem to be aware that such legislation will 

 put an end to a promising food-produc- 

 ing industry, and that without a vast 

 army of officers it will be impossible to 

 protect the few woodducks not owned 

 by game breeders since the birds frequent 

 small ponds and streams in secluded 

 places where easily they can be shot by 

 those who are not aware that such shoot- 

 ing is prohibited and by those who know- 

 there is little danger of their being de- 

 tected. 



The Scarboro Beach Game Farm in Maine 

 is rapidly becoming one of the big game farms 

 of the country. It was with regret that we. 

 were obliged to return from a recent trip 

 into New England without seeing this inter- 

 esting place. 



More Game and Fewer Game Law.'>. 



