understood. The Ducks, in the first place, are encouraged in every
way. It is said that should one walk into a peasant's cabin and
preempt his cot as a nesting-site, the peasant would gladly give up
his bed to so valuable a visitor.
Ducks
[Illustration: 129.]
=129. American Merganser= (_Merganser americanus_). L. 25; B. from
nostril, 1.5; nostril midway between eye and tip of bill. _Ad._
[Male]. No band of streaks on breast; no crest. _Ad._ [Female]. and
_Yng._ _Chin white_; crown and throat reddish brown; rest of
underparts and speculum white; above and tail ashy.
Range.--North America; breeds from New Brunswick, rarely mountains of
Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and mountains of Colorado and California
northward; winters from Maine and British Columbia south to South
Carolina and southern California.
[Illustration: 130.]
=130. Red-breasted Merganser= (_Merganser serrator_). L. 22; B. from
nostril, 1.8; nostril nearer to eye than to tip of bill. _Ad._ [Male].
Breast with a broad cinnamon band streaked with black; head feathers
lengthened. _Ad._ [Female] _and Yng_. Crown grayish brown, washed with
rusty. Chin and throat paler; rest of underparts and speculum white:
back and tail ashy. _Notes._ When alarmed, several low, guttural
croaks. (Elliot.)
Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds, in America, from New Brunswick
and northern Illinois north to Greenland and Alaska; winters from
southern breeding limits, south to Cuba and Lower California.
[Illustration: 131.]
=131. Hooded Merganser= (_Lophodytes cucullatus_). L. 17.5. _Ad._
[Male]. A large, circular black and white crest. _Ad._ [Female] _Yng._
A small cinnamon crest, head, neck and breast grayish brown; back,
blackish; belly white. _Notes._ "A hoarse croak, like a small edition
of that of the Red-breasted Merganser." (Elliot.)
Range.--North America from Cuba and Lower California north to Labrador
and Alaska; breeds locally throughout its range, chiefly in interior
of British America; winters from British Columbia, Illinois, and
Massachusetts southward.
[Illustration: 132.]
=132. Mallard= (_Anas boschas_). L. 23. Speculum (patch in wing)
purple bordered by black and _white_; under surface of wing pure
white. _Ad._ [Male]. Head green; breast chestnut, a white neck-ring.
_Ad._ [Female]. Above blackish and buffy, below rusty buff mottled
with dusky grayish brown. _Notes._ The familiar _quack_ of the
barn-yard Duck.
Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds, in America, from Labrador,
Indiana, Iowa, and California north to Greenland and Alaska; winters
from British Columbia, Kansas, and New Jersey to Central America and
West Indies.
[Illustration: 143.]
=143. Pintail= (_Dafila acuta_). L. [Male], 28; [Female], 22. _Ad._
[Male]. Central tail feathers black, 7.5 long, pointed. _Ad._
[Female]. Tail 3.5,; feathers _sharply pointed_; brownish black, with
buff bars; under wing-coverts _dusky_ and _buff_; back blackish with
_internal_ buff loops. _Notes._ A loud _quack_, less sonorous than
that of the Mallard; a low mellow whistle, and a harsh rolling note.
(Nelson.)
Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds, in America, from New Brunswick,
Iowa, Illinois, and British Columbia northward; winters from British
Columbia, Illinois, and Virginia, south to Central America and West
Indies.
[Illustration: 133.]
=133. Black Duck= (_Anas obscura_). L. 22. _Ads._ Speculum bluish
purple tipped with _black_; no white in wing; lining of wing white and
_dusky_; crown _without_ paler margins; throat, usually, without
markings; legs "olivaceous brown," bill "greenish black, dusky olive,
or olive-green." _Notes._ A _quack_ resembling that of the Mallard.
Range.--Eastern North America; chiefly east of Mississippi; breeds
locally from New Jersey and Illinois north to Labrador and Hudson Bay;
winters from Maine to West Indies.
=133a. Red-legged Black Duck= (_A. o. rubripes_). Similar to No. 133
but larger; crown edged with buff or gray; throat spotted; legs red;
bill yellow.
Range.--Summer range not definitely known, but breeding specimens have
been taken in northern Labrador, James Bay, and west shore of Hudson
Bay; in winter south to Virginia and Arkansas.
[Illustration: 134.]
_134. Florida Duck_ (_Anas fulvigula_). L. 20. _Ads._ Throat and front
of neck plain buff, usually unmarked; speculum sometimes tipped with
white; belly rusty buff; broadly _streaked_ with black. _Notes._ A
_quack_ similar to that of No. 133.
Range.--Florida to coast of Louisiana; resident.
=134a. Mottled Duck= (_A. f. maculosa_). Similar to No. 134, but
underparts _mottled_ with black, the markings being _rounder_.
Range.--Eastern Texas; breeds (at least) from Corpus Christi north to
Kansas; winters on west Gulf Coast.
[Illustration: 135.]
=135. Gadwall= (_Chaulelasmus streperus_), L. 19.5. Under wing coverts
and axillars _pure white_. _Ad._ [Male]. Wing-coverts chestnut; breast
_ringed_ with white. _Ad._ [Female]. Head and throat as in [Male],
back fuscous and buffy; breast and _sides_ ochraceous thickly spotted
with blackish; speculum ashy gray and white. _Notes._ A _quack_ like
that of the Mallard but shriller and more often repeated.
Range.--Northern hemisphere; in America, breeds in the interior from
Kansas and California north to Manitoba and Assiniboia; winters from
Maryland to Florida, rare in northeastern Atlantic States.
[Illustration: 136.]
=136. Widgeon= (_Mareca penelope_). L. 18.5. _Ad._ [Male]. Head and
neck reddish brown; crown buff; sides with wavy black and white lines.
_Ad._ [Female]. Head and throat _rusty_, finely streaked and barred
with black; breast and sides rusty; speculum blackish. _Notes._ Of
male, a shrill, whistling _whee-you_; of female, a low, purring growl.
(Saunders.)
Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds in America, only in the Aleutian
Islands; casual in migrations and in winter in California and on
Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Greenland.
[Illustration: 137.]
=137. Baldpate= (_Mareca americana_). L. 19. No rusty on head. _Ad._
[Male]. Under tail-coverts black; streak from eye to nape glossy
green. _Ad._ [Female]. Head and throat _whitish_ finely marked with
black; breast and sides rusty washed with grayish. _Notes._ "A low,
soft whistle." (Elliot.)
Range.--North America; breeds in the interior from Minnesota and
British Columbia north to Alaska; winters from British Columbia and
Virginia south to South America; only a migrant on northeast Atlantic
coast to Labrador.
[Illustration: 139.]
=139. Green-winged Teal= (_Nettion carolinensis_). L. 14.5.
Wing-coverts gray, tipped with buff or white. _Ad._ [Male]. A white
crescent in front of wing; speculum (wing-patch) green bordered by
black tipped with white. _Ad._ [Female]. Wings as in [Male]; throat
and sides of neck white, finely spotted with black; breast and sides
washed with rusty, marked with black. _Notes._ A "peculiar chirping
almost a twittering" as they fly. (Seton.)
Range.--North America; breeds from New Brunswick, Minnesota, and
British Columbia north to Greenland and Alaska; winters from Virginia,
Kansas, and British Columbia south to Central America and West Indies.
[Illustration: 140.]
=140. Blue-winged Teal= (_Querquedula discors_). Wing-coverts blue.
_Ad._ [Male]. Cheek patch white. _Ad._ [Female]. Resembles [Female] of
No. 139, but wing-coverts blue; speculum greenish brown not distinctly
tipped with white. L. 16.
Range.--North America; chiefly east of Rockies; breeds from New
Brunswick, Kansas, southern Illinois and northern Ohio, north to
Alaska, mainly in interior; winters from Virginia and Lower
Mississippi Valley to northern South America, California, and Lower
California.
[Illustration: 141.]
=141. Cinnamon Teal= (_Querquedula cyanoptera_). _Ad._ [Male]. Head
and neck, breast and sides reddish brown. _Ad._ [Female]. Resembles
[Female] of No. 140, but the underparts, _including throat_, are
usually suffused with rusty; the throat often being blackish or
speckled with dusky. _Notes._ A rather thin, nasal _quack_. L. 16.
Range.--Western North America from British Columbia south to South
America, east to Rockies and south Texas; rarely to Florida.
[Illustration: 142.]
=142. Shoveller= (_Spatula clypeata_). L. 20. Bill much broader at tip
than at base. _Ad._ [Male]. Belly chestnut; breast around to back
white. _Ad._ [Female]. Wing-coverts blue; back conspicuously margined
with buff. _Notes._ "Occasionally a few feeble quacks." (Elliot.)
Range.--Northern hemisphere; in America chiefly in interior; breeds
locally from Texas, and regularly from Minnesota and British Columbia
north to Alaska and Barren Grounds; winters from British Columbia,
Illinois, and Maryland south to northern South America.
[Illustration: 144.]
=144. Wood Duck= (_Aix sponsa_). L. 18.5. _Ad._ [Male]. Head crested;
green, blue, and purple with white stripes. _Ad._ [Female]. A white
streak through and behind eye; crown glossy purplish brown; back
olive-brown glossed with greenish. _Notes._ A frightened, plaintive,
_oo-eek_.
Range.--North America; breeds locally from Florida to Labrador and
British Columbia, winters from British Columbia, southern Illinois,
and southern New Jersey, south to southern California and Cuba.
[Illustration: 146.]
=146. Redhead= (_Aythya americana_). L. 19. _Ad._ [Male]. Head and
_upper_ neck entirely bright reddish brown. _Ad._ [Female]. Throat
white; back grayish brown without fine bars; speculum gray.
_Notes._ "A hoarse guttural rolling sound." (Elliot.)
Range.--North America; breeds chiefly in interior from Maine,
Minnesota, and California north to Labrador and British Columbia;
winters from British Columbia and Maryland south to Lower California
and West Indies.
[Illustration: 147.]
=147. Canvas-back= (_Aythya vallisneria_). L. 21. _Ad._ [Male]. Head
and _whole_ neck _dull_ reddish brown. _Ad._ [Female]. Head and neck
_rusty_ grayish brown; back grayish brown, _finely barred with black
and white_. _Notes._ "A harsh guttural croak." (Elliot.)
Range.--North America; breeds only in interior from Minnesota and
Oregon north to Alaska and the Barren Grounds; winters from British
Columbia and Maryland south to southern California, Mexico and West
Indies.
[Illustration: 148.]
=148. American Scaup Duck= (_Aythya marila_). L. [Male], 18.5;
[Female], 17.5. _Ad._ [Male]. Head glossed with greenish; sides
without distinct black bars. Ad. [Female]. Feathers about base of bill
white; breast and back rusty grayish brown; speculum white. _Notes._
"Similar to the guttural sound made by the Canvas-back, Redhead and
other diving Ducks." (Elliot.)
Range.--Northern parts of northern hemisphere; in America, breeds in
the interior rarely from Minnesota, and regularly from North Dakota
northward; winters from Long Island to northern South America.
[Illustration: 149.]
=149. Lesser Scaup Duck= (_Aythya affinis_). L. [Male] 17; [Female],
16.5. _Ad._ [Male]. Head glossed with purplish; sides with distinct
black bars. _Ad._ [Female]. Similar to [Female] of No. 148, but
smaller.
Range.--North America; breeds only in interior from Iowa rarely, North
Dakota commonly, and British Columbia, north to Barren Grounds;
winters from British Columbia and Virginia south to Guatemala and West
Indies.
[Illustration: 150.]
=150. Ring-necked Duck= (_Aythya collaris_). L. 16.5. _Ad._ [Male]. A
chestnut neck-ring; chin _white_; back _black_; speculum _gray_. _Ad._
[Female]. Feathers about sides of base of bill and throat white, back
and breast _rusty_ grayish brown; speculum gray. Resembles [Female] of
No. 146, but is smaller and rustier.
Range.--North America: breeding only in the interior from Minnesota
northward; winters from Maryland and British Columbia south to
Guatemala and West Indies; rare on Atlantic coast north of Maryland.
[Illustration: 151.]
=151. American Golden-eye= (_Clangula clangula americana_). L. 20.
_Ad._ [Male]. Head _greenish_; white patch at base of bill _circular_.
_Ad._ [Female]. Head and throat brown; breast and back gray, a white
throat-ring; belly and speculum white. _Notes._ Rarely a low croak; a
high whistling sound produced by wings in flight.
Range.--North America; breeds from Maine, northern Minnesota, and
Alberta, north to Arctic Regions; winters from southern Alaska, the
Great Lakes and Maine, south to Mexico and Cuba.
[Illustration: 152.]
=152. Barrow Golden-eye= (_Clangula islandica_). L. 20. _Ad._ [Male].
Head _purplish blue_; white patch at base of bill _twice as high as
wide_. _Ad._ [Female]. Resembles [Female] of No. 151. _Notes._ A high
whistling made by wings in flight, probably also a low croaking as in
No. 151.
Range.--Northern North America; breeds from Gulf of St. Lawrence, and
mountains of Colorado north to southern Greenland; winters south to
Virginia, Illinois, and California.
[Illustration: 153.]
=153. Buffle-head= (_Charitonetta albeola_). L. 14.7. _Ad._ [Male].
Head blue, purple, and green; a white band from eye to eye across
nape. _Ad._ [Female]. A whitish patch on either side of head; throat
and upper parts grayish brown; belly and speculum white. _Notes._ A
single guttural note like a small edition of the Canvas-back's roll.
(Elliot.)
Range.--North America; breeds from Maine, Iowa, and British Columbia
northward; winters from southern limit of breeding range to West
Indies and Mexico.
[Illustration: 167.]
=167. Ruddy Duck= (_Erismatura jamaicensis_). L. 15. Tail-feathers
narrow and stiff; bill short (1.5) and broad. _Ad._ [Male]. Cheeks
white, cap black, back reddish brown. _Ad._ [Female]. A whitish streak
through dusky cheeks; back grayish brown with fine buffy bars; belly
silvery whitish. _Yng._ [Male]. Similar, but cheeks all white or
whitish.
Range.--Western hemisphere from northern South America to Hudson Bay;
breeds locally throughout its range, but chiefly northward; winters
from New Jersey, southern Illinois and California southward.
[Illustration: 168.]
=168. Masked Duck= (_Nomonyx dominicus_). L. 14. Tail-feathers long,
(4.5) narrow, stiff and pointed. _Ad._ [Male]. Front of head black;
behind it reddish brown all around; white in wing. _Ad._ [Female]. A
brownish streak through eye: buffy streaks above and below it; back
blackish regularly _barred_ with buff; below washed with rusty.
Range--Tropical America north to Lower Rio Grande; accidental in
Wisconsin, Lake Champlain, and Massachusetts.
[Illustration: 154. Winter]
[Illustration: 154. Summer]
=154. Old-squaw= (_Harelda hyemalis_). L. [Male], 21; [Female], 16;
T. [Male], 8; [Female], 2.5. No colored speculum. _Ad._ [Male].
Central tail-feathers much lengthened; in winter, crown, nape, throat,
and neck all around white. In summer, black, with rusty markings on
back. _Ad._ [Female]. winter. Cheeks, neck all around, and underparts
white; breast and sides of neck dusky. In summer, crown, cheeks and
nape blackish, throat and breast dusky; a whitish patch back of eye.
_Notes._ In spring, a rich, musical _a-leedle-a_, frequently repeated in
deep, reed-like tones. (Nelson.) Also "_o-onc-o-onc-ough-egh-ough-egh_."
(Mackay.)
Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds from northern Labrador and
Aleutian Islands north to Arctic Ocean; winters south to Virginia,
Upper Mississippi Valley, and California, "rarely to Florida and
Texas."
[Illustration: 155.]
=155. Harlequin Duck= (_Histrionicus histrionicus_). L. 17. _Ad._
[Male]. Back and breast slaty blue; head darker. _Ad._ [Female]. Front
half of cheeks and spot over ears whitish, above blackish brown; below
dusky and whitish. _Notes._ "A confusion of low gabbling and
chattering notes." (Nelson.)
Range.--"Northern North America, breeding from Newfoundland, the
northern Rocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevadas (latitude 38A deg.),
northward; south in winter to the Middle States and California;
eastern Asia, Iceland." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 156.]
=156. Labrador Duck= (_Camptolaimus labradorius_). L. 20. _Ad._
[Male]. Primaries blackish; rest of wing white. _Ad._ [Female]. Ashy
gray: speculum white. _Yng._ [Male]. Like [Female] but throat and ends
of greater wing-coverts white.
Range.--Formerly North Atlantic coast; bred from Labrador northward;
wintered south to New Jersey; believed to be extinct; last records,
Grand Menan, New Brunswick, 1871; Long Island, 1875.
[Illustration: 157.]
=157. Steller Eider= (_Eniconetta stelleri_). L. 18. _Ad._ [Male].
Throat and neck black nearly divided by a white ring; top and sides
of head white, forehead and nape greenish; breast chestnut. _Ad._
[Female]. Above and below black and rusty, speculum purple bordered
with white; tail feathers pointed.
Range.--"Arctic and subarctic coasts of the northern hemisphere,
Aleutian Islands, east to Unalaska and Kadiak; Kenai Peninsula."
(A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 158.]
=158. Spectacled Eider= (_Arctonetta fischeri_). L. 21. _Ad._ [Male].
Front of head plush-like; cushiony pads around eyes; above largely
white; breast slaty black; belly black.
Range.--"Alaskan coast of Bering Sea and north to Point Barrow."
(A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 159.]
=159. Greenland Eider= (_Somateria mollissima borealis_). L. 23.
Feathers on sides of bill reaching to nostrils, bare spaces on either
side of feathers on culmen _pointed_ at base (posteriorly.) _Ad._
[Male]. Crown black with a white wedge. _Ad._ [Female]. Brownish black
above margined with rusty and buff; below dusky finely margined with
buff. _Yng._ [Male]. Similar to [Female] but more buffy. _Notes._
"A sort of cooing sound" in the breeding season. (Elliot.) A raucous,
moaning, _'ha ho, 'ha ho_; female's like that of Mallard. (Brunnich.)
Range.--Northeastern North America; breeds from Labrador to Greenland;
winters south to Massachusetts.
[Illustration: 160.]
=160. American Eider= (_Somateria dresseri_). L. 23. Similar in color
to No. 159, but bare spaces on either side of feathers of culmen
_rounded_ at the base (posteriorly).
Range.--Northeastern North America; breeds from Isle au Haut, Maine,
to Labrador; winters south to New Jersey and Great Lakes.
[Illustration: 161.]
=161. Pacific Eider= (_Somateria v-nigra_). Similar to No. 159, but
_Ad._ [Male] with a black =V= on throat; sides of bill more broadly
feathered, distance from end of feathers to base of bare space on
culmen less than distance from same place to end of bill.
_Notes._ "A low guttural note." (Nelson.)
Range.--North Pacific from Aleutian Islands north to Arctic Ocean east
to Great Slave Lake.
[Illustration: 162.]
=162. King Eider= (_Somateria spectabilis_). L. 23. Feathers at side
of bill _not_ reaching nostril. _Ad._ [Male]. White patch on either
side of rump, crown ashy blue. _Ad._ [Female] in 1 _Yng._ Resembling
same plumages of No. 159 and No. 160.
Range.--Northern hemisphere; breeds from Labrador and St. Michaels,
Alaska north to Greenland and Arctic Ocean; winters south to New
Jersey (rarely Ga.), and Great Lakes; one California record.
[Illustration: 163.]
=163. American Scoter= (_Oidemia americana_). L. 19. Feathers at base
of bill not extending forward on sides or top. _Ad._ [Male]. Wholly
black; bill black, yellow at base. _Ad._ [Female]. Brownish above,
lighter below; no white on wing or on sides of head. _Notes._ A long
musical whistle. (Elliot.)
Range.--Northern North America; breeds from Labrador and Alaskan
shores of Bering Sea northward; winters south to Virginia, Great
Lakes, Colorado, and California.
[Illustration: 166.]
=166. Surf Scoter= (_Oidemia perspicillata_). L. 20. Feathers
extending forward on top of bill. _Ad._ [Male]. Black, nape and crown
white; bill orange, yellow, and white, a round black patch on its
sides. _Ad._ [Female]. Above black, throat and breast paler; belly
whitish; a whitish patch at base of bill. _Yng._ Similar but with
white patches on ears.
Range.--Northern North America; breeds from Newfoundland northward;
winters south to Virginia, Florida, Illinois, and Lower California.
[Illustration: 165.]
=165. White-winged Scoter= (_Oidemia deglandi_). L. 22. A white patch
on wing; feathers extending forward along _sides and top_ of bill
nearly to nostrils. _Ad._ [Male]. Black, a white spot about eye; bill
orange, black at base. _Ad._ [Female]. Dusky brown above; lighter
below. _Yng._ [Male]. Similar but sides and front of head whitish.
Range.--Northern North America; breeds from Labrador and North Dakota
northward; winters south to Virginia, southern Illinois, and Lower
California.
[Illustration: 177.]
=177. Black-bellied Tree Duck= (_Dendrocygna autumnalis_). L. 22.
_Ads._ belly and tail coverts _black_: foreback and breast gray;
greater wing-coverts whitish. _Notes._ A shrill whistle. (Elliot.)
Range.--Tropical America north to southern Texas.
[Illustration: 178.]
=178. Fulvous Tree Duck= (_Dendrocygna fulva_). L. 22. _Ads._ Belly
uniform rusty brown; upper tail coverts white; a black streak on
hindneck; no white in wing. _Notes._ A squealing whistle.
Range.--Tropical America, north in summer to Texas, Louisiana, Nevada
and central California. "Casual in North Carolina and Missouri." (A.
O. U.)
Geese and Swans
=169. Lesser Snow Goose= (_Chen hyperborea_). L. 23-28, _Ads._ White,
head sometimes rusty; primaries black. _Yng._ Head, neck, and above
grayish.
Range.--"Pacific coast to the Mississippi Valley, breeding in Alaska;
south in winter to southern Illinois and southern California; casually
to New England." (A.O.U.)
[Illustration: 169a.]
=169a. Greater Snow Goose= (_C. h. nivalis_). Similar to No. 169, but
larger, L. 30-38.
Range.--Eastern North America; breeds in Arctic regions; winters from
Chesapeake, New Jersey (rarely) south to Cuba; rare on Atlantic coast
north of Maryland.
[Illustration: 170.]
=170. Ross Snow Goose= (_Chen rossii_). L. 21; B. 1.6. Similar in
color to No. 169, but much smaller; bill particularly smaller.
Range.--Arctic America in summer; Pacific coast to southern California
and east to Montana in winter.
[Illustration: 180.]
=180. Whistling Swan= (_Olor columbianus_). L. 55. Nostril nearer to
tip of bill than to eye. _Ads._ White, bill and feet black; a small
yellow spot before the eye. _Yng._ Head and neck brownish, rest of
plumage washed with grayish. _Notes._ _'whoogh_, _'whoogh_, very loud
and shrill. (Nuttall.)
Range.--North America; breeds within Arctic Circle; winters from
British Columbia (?) Lower Mississippi Valley, Chesapeake Bay, south
to Gulf of Mexico; rare on Atlantic Coast north of Virginia.
[Illustration: 180. Bill of.]
[Illustration: 181. Bill of.]
=181. Trumpeter Swan= (_Clor buccinator_). L. 65. Nostril about in
middle of bill. _Ads._ White, bill and feet black; _no_ yellow on
lores. _Yng._ Head and neck brownish; rest of plumage washed with
grayish. _Notes._ Loud and sonorous in tone like those of a French
horn. (Elliot.)
Range.--"Chiefly the Interior of North America, from the Gulf Coast to
the Fur Countries, breeding from Iowa and the Dakotas northward; west
to the Pacific Coast; rare or casual on the Atlantic." (A.O.U.)
Geese
[Illustration: 169.1]
=169.1. Blue Goose= (_Chen cA|rulescens_). L. 28. _Ads._ Head and neck
white; below brownish gray; foreback like breast; rump gray. _Yng._
Similar but head and neck grayish brown.
Range.--North America; breeds in Hudson Bay region; winters on west
coast of the Gulf of Mexico; two California records; said to have
occurred in New Jersey.
[Illustration: 171a.]
=171a. American White-fronted Goose= (_Anser albifrons gambeli_). L.
28. _Ads._ Forehead and rump white; below spotted with black. _Yng._
Similar but no white on head no black below.
Range.--North America; breeds in Arctic region; winters on Gulf Coast,
California and Mexico; rare on Atlantic coast.
[Illustration: 176.]