340 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
ommcncled, the lawn is cut regularly twice a 
week, as it should be, the objection is very 
trivial; and in the other cases, the time saved in 
the cutting compensates for the loss in hav¬ 
ing it swept up, if found desirable.”—In tins 
country the popular machine is the Landscape 
Lawn Mower, which in several particulars 
has improvements over the Archimedean. We 
have used one the past summer with much sat¬ 
isfaction, and are pleased with the simplicity of 
its construction, the ease with which it works, 
and the character of the work that it does. 
---—•«!*--- «-- 
l The Summer, or Wood Duck. 
This familiar, native species is universally ad¬ 
mitted to be the most graceful and beautiful of 
all ducks. We can hardly compare its delicate 
beauties, its gay and richly tinted feathers, its 
vivacious motions, whether upon land or water, 
or on the wing, with the deliberate movements, 
and snowy plumage of the majestic swan, but it 
is not too much to say that with this single ex¬ 
ception it is the most beautiful of all waterfowls. 
It is notable as being the only wild duck which 
remains naturally with us during the summer. 
A few Mallards and Black Ducks on the prairies, 
and belated pairs of several other species breed 
within the United States, but the Wood Duck is 
here at home. It seeks retired wooded streams 
or lakes, and in a quiet nook finds some hole 
within a few hundred feet of the water, where a 
dead limb has decayed, which may easily be 
cleaned out and made fit for a nest, where it 
may rear its young. The pair are devoted 
nurses, and a prettier sight can hardly be im¬ 
agined than such a family, as they scoot about 
among the leaves of aquatic plants hunting for 
seeds, water insects, and minute shell-fish. 
They breed but once, and the young are able to 
fly soon after midsummer. Their geographical 
range is from Texas to the St. Lawrence and 
Columbia Rivers. This duck seldom winters 
further north than Maryland, and it is protected 
by law from reckless sportsmen during the sum¬ 
mer months. As the country becomes settled, 
we must expect to see it gradually disappear, 
but its extinction need not be anticipated, es¬ 
pecially as it is easily domesticated; where 
its natural habits are studied and accommodated, 
it breeds and does well in confinement, if pin¬ 
ioned, but has a permanent tendency to roam 
and return to the wild state unless its wings are 
cut. It loses its brilliant plumage also, to a 
considerable degree, unless it be bred in a half¬ 
wild state, and can get its natural, wild food. 
When these conditions arc provided, though it 
may be tame enough to feed from the hand 
and run with other ducks in the yard during 
the winter, it will breed freely if unmolested. 
