550 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
others. Shrenck states that the Mandarin Duck is a wild species, appearing about May in the 
various countries watered by the river Amoor, and disappearing again about August. At this 
season it is met with in flocks, sometimes large and sometimes small, but so shy as rarely to come 
within shot. He also states that he has often seen the birds perching upon trees, which is no 
doubt a habit, being certainly common to the Carolina variety. The Chinese mandarins obtain 
their specimens from the country north of Pekin. 
The Mandarin Drake is somewhat quarrelsome, especially when penned for exhibition. Care 
should therefore be taken only to show birds which have been previously mated, for want of which 
precaution we have seen the duck killed by the angry male. Even with this precaution such 
accidents will sometimes happen with birds not perfectly tamed ; and small, recently-imported 
specimens can only be shown at some risk. 
TPIE CAROLINA DUCK, also called the Summer Duck or Wood Duck of America, is 
manifestly closely related to the foregoing, and has received from naturalists the same family name 
of Aix sponsa. The drake possesses a beautiful crest, but is without the singular wing-fans which 
give so peculiar an appearance to the Mandarin. For the following notes upon this beautiful variety 
we are indebted to one of its most successful exhibitors, Mr. Matthew Leno, of Dunstable : — 
“ The Carolina, or Summer Duck, is a native of North America. It is certainly one of the 
most beautiful specimens of ornamental water-fowl, and no poultry-show is complete without it, 
where, if in full plumage, it never fails to have plenty of admirers. It is said rarely to visit the 
sea-shore, and in its habits to be somewhat solitary, while, being also strictly monogamous, it is 
usually seen flying singly or in pairs. The note of the male is like the syllables * Peet, peet.’ 
“ The adult drake has a red bill margined with black nearly to the tip, with a spot of black 
between the nostrils, and a sort of hooked nail at the extreme point. The irides of the eye are 
orange red. The crown, front of the head, and pendent crest are a rich glossy bronze green, 
changing into violet to finish off, and beautifully marked with a line of pure white running from the 
upper mandible over the eye, with another band of white proceeding from behind the eye ; and 
both mingling their long plumes with the green and violet of the crest, produce a very striking 
appearance. The throat and a kind of collar in front of the neck are pure white, curving up in the 
form of a crescent nearly to behind the eye. The cheeks and side of the upper neck are violet, the 
breast dark brown or chestnut tinged with violet [we should call it claret-colour], and marked with 
small white spots, which increase in size till they reach the white of the belly. Each side of the 
breast, at the shoulder, has a large crescent of white shaded by a broader one of deep black 
immediately behind it. The sides of the body, under the wings, are thickly marked with fine 
undulating parallel lines of black over a ground of yellowish drab, the flanks being ornamented with 
broad semicircular bands or stripes of white shaded with black. The sides of the vent are light 
violet ; the tail-coverts long, of a hair-like texture at the sides, and in colour of a deep black tinged 
with yellow. . The back is dusky bronze tinged with green ; scapulars blackish green and purple ; 
tail tapering, and black glossed with green above, dusky below ; wing-spot, or speculum, blue and 
green. Legs and feet yellowish red, with strong hooked claws. About June the plumage changes 
to nearly the same colour as the female, the drake resuming his brilliant dress in September. 
“The head of the duck also has a small crest. Behind the eye is a bar of white, the chin and 
throat also being white. The head and neck are dark drab ; breast a dusky brown marked with 
white spots ; back and part of the wings dark glossy bronze brown. The brighter the reflections 
of gold and green over the duck the more she is esteemed in value. She has a wing-spot like the 
male, but not so bright. 
