NETTIUM.—DAFILA. 213 
have been observed as far south as Honduras, but we never met with the bird in 
Guatemala. It is found at this season in the Western United States, and visits 
California in large numbers. ‘The species is said by Grayson to be abundant at 
Mazatlan from November to March!2, Its Mexican name is given by Herrera? as 
‘* Metzcanauhtli ” or “ Metzcanahuhtli.” 
This little Teal is tamer than most of the North-American Ducks, and, the flesh 
being much valued as an article of food, large numbers are annually slaughtered in 
winter. It is essentially a freshwater bird, and is rarely seen near the sea. Its food 
consists of the seeds of grass, berries, worms, small molluscs, and aquatic insects. 
The nest is a depression in the ground, lined with down and feathers, and often at 
some distance from water. The eggs are sometimes as many as sixteen or eighteen 
in number, and are of a pure ivory-white 13, 
DAFILA. 
Dafila, Stephens, in Shaw’s Gen. Zool. xii. pt. 2, p. 126 (1824); Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 
XXVIl. p. 270 (1895). 
The Pintail Ducks may be recognized by the sharply-pointed tail, the central feathers 
being very long and pointed in the male; the bill is wider near the tip than at the 
base, and the neck is long and slender. 
Of the three species described, D. acuta, inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere, is the 
only one found within our limits. D. spinicauda is a native of the southern half of 
South America. 
D. modesta, Tristram, from the Phenix Group, Central Pacific, is doubtfully distinct 
from D. acuta. 
“1, Dafila acuta. 
Anas acuta, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 2021; Wagl. Isis, 1831, p. 5382”. 
Dafila acuta, Scl. P. Z. 8. 1857, p. 206°; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 231‘; P. Z. S. 1876, p. 391°; 
Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. viii. p. 18°; ix. p. 1437; Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. ii. p. 314°; 
Duges, La Nat. i. p. 143°; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 878"; Sumichr. La Nat. v. 
p. 234"; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. i. p.511”; Nutting, Pr. U. S. 
Nat. Mus. vi. p. 390; Ferrari-Perez, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 174™; Herrera, La Nat. 
(2) 1. pp. 187, 329°; Richm. Pr. U.S, Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 5317; Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. 
N. H. v. p. 83%; A. O. U. Check-l. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 51"; Salvad. Cat. Birds 
Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 270”. 
Supra brunnea, fasciis nigris et albis anguste fasciolata; scapularibus longioribus nigris, late brunnescenti- 
albo marginatis; supracaudalibus medianis saturate brunneis, marginibus pallidioribus, lateralibus nigris 
intus albo marginatis; rectricibus medianis elongatis, nigris, reliquis sordide cinerascentibus, albido 
marginatis ; tectricibus alarum cinerascenti-brunneis, majoribus pallide rufo terminatis, fasciam alarem 
formantibus ; primariis brunnescenti-griseis, apicem versus saturatioribus, intus pallidioribus ; secundariis 
externis metallice viridibus vel (sub cert4 luce) eneo-purpurascentibus, speculum alare formantibus, late 
