278 
THE WOOD DUCK. 
that after moulting lie is for six weeks of a plain colour, like the young 
males, and the feathers gradually assume their bright tints. 
The tree represented in the plate is the Platanus occidental is, which in 
different parts of the United States is known by the names of Buttonwood, 
Sycamore, Plane-tree, and Water Beech, and in Canada by that of Cotton- 
tree. It is one of our largest trees, and on the banks of our great western 
and southern rivers often attains a diameter of eight or ten feet. Although 
naturally inclined to prefer the vicinity of water, it grows in almost every 
xind of situation, and thrives even in the streets of several of our eastern 
oiies, such as Philadelphia and New York. 
Summer Duck or Wood Duck, Anas sponsa, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. 
viii. p. 97. 
Dendronessa sponsa, Summer Buck, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 446. 
Summer or Wood Duck, Anas sponsa , Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 394. 
Wood Duck, Anas sponsa , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 52 ; vol. v. p. 618. 
Male 20A, 28. Female, 19J. 
Breeds throughout the country from Texas to the Columbia, and eastward 
to Nova Scotia*. Fur countries. Accumulates in the Southern Districts 
in winter. 
Adult Male. 
Bill shorter than the head, deeper than broad at the base, depressed to- 
wards the end, slightly narrowed towards the middle of the unguis, the 
frontal angles prolonged and pointed. ' Upper mandible with the dorsal line 
at first sloping, then concave, along the unguis convex, the ridge broad and 
flat at the base, then broadly convex, the sides concave and perpendicular at 
the base, convex and sloping towards the end, edges soft, with about twenty- 
two internal lamellae, unguis broadly elliptical, curved, rounded. Nostrils 
sub-basal, lateral, rather small, oval, pervious. Lower mandible flatfish, with 
the angle very long and rather narrow, the dorsal line very short, convex, 
the sides convex, the edges soft and rounded, lamellate above. 
Head of modei’ate size, neck rather long and slender, body full and de- 
pressed, wings rather small. Feet very short, strong, placed rather far back; 
tarsus very short, considerably compressed, at its lower part anteriorly with 
two series of scutella, the rest covered with reticulated angular scales. Toes 
scutellate above ; first very small, free, with a narrow membrane beneath, 
third longest, fourth a little shorter ; claws small, curved, compressed, acute, 
the hind one smaller and more curved, that of the third toe with an inner 
sharp edge. 
Plumage dense, soft, blended, generally glossed. Feathers of the middle 
cf the head and upper part of hind neck, very narrow, elongated, and in 
