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7 
May 2d, while Perch fishing on Palmer’s 
river, I found two nests of the Wood Puck , 
both in hollow “Buttonwoods” with a sur- 
prisingly small entrance for the size of the 
Duck. These same trees have been occu- 
pied by this species of Duck ever since my 
acquaintance with the locality, some five 
years or more. The sets numbered eleven 
and nine respectively, the contents of the 
nest being easily seen, 'as there were two 
holes in each near the bottom of the cavi 
ty, as though worn through by long usage. 
A nest of twelve eggs of this Duck was 
taken April 23, 1880. Incubation unknown. 
They were set under a domestic Pekin Duck. 
May 14th, nine little ducklings rewarded me 
for my pains, and very proud was I of my 
success. Having kept the old Duck in con- 
finement, I turned the little brood over to 
her care, and was surprised and gratified 
to see her take kindly to them. 
I tethered the mother with a liberal cord 
and showed my quaint looking youngsters 
to admiring friends. For about a week 
matters thus proceeded, when I awoke one 
morning to find that Mrs. Duck had sev- 
ered the . string which held her foot, and 
together with her little family, had swam 
peacefully down Rocky-brook — to her fate 
— for as I afterwards learned, as they 
passed under the highway bridge, in the 
gra / dawn, a sportsman (?) shot the parent 
bird, and left the ducklings to the more 
merciful mink and turtle. 
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O.&O. /X. Oof. 188*1. pj 43" 
