122 
SUMMER DUCK. 
wing* or back of tbe neck, and landed them safely at the foot 
of the tree, whence she afterwards led them to the water. Under 
this same tree, at the time I visited it, a large sloop lay on 
the stocks, nearly finished ; the deck was not more than twelve 
feet distant from the nest, yet notwithstanding the presence 
and noise of the workmen, the ducks would not abandon their 
old breeding place, but continued to pass out and in, as if no 
person had been near. The male usually perched on an ad- 
joining limb, and kept watch while the female was laying, and 
also often while she was sitting. A tame goose had chosen a 
hollow space at the root of the same tree, to lay and hatch her 
young in. 
The summer duck seldom flies in flocks of more than three 
or four individuals together, and most commonly in pairs, or 
singly. The common note of the drake \s>peet, peet ; but when, 
standing sentinel, he sees danger, he makes a noise not unlike 
the crowing of a young cock, oe eek ! oe eek ! Their food con- 
sists principally of acorns, seeds of the wild oats, and irisects. 
Their flesh is inferior to that of the blue-winged teal. They 
are frequent in the markets of Philadelphia. 
Among other gaudy feathers with which the Indians orna- 
ment the calumet or pipe of peace, the skin of the head and 
neck of the summer duck is frequently seen covering the 
stem. 
This beautiful bird has often been tamed, and soon becomes 
so familiar as to permit one to stroke its back with the hand. 
I have seen individuals so tamed, in various parts of the Union. 
Captain Boyer, collector of the port of Havre-de- Grace, in*; 
forms me, that, about forty years ago, a Mr Nathan Nicols, 
who lived on the west side of Gunpowder Creek, had a whole 
yard swarming with summer ducks, which he had tamed and 
completely domesticated, so that they bred and were as familiar 
as any other tame fowls ; that he (Captain Boyer) himself saw 
them in that state, but does not know what became of them. 
Latham says, that they are often kept in European menage- 
ries, and will breed there.* 
* General Synopsis, iii. 5V(. 
