214 . ANATIDE. 
albo terminatis, fascia subterminali nigra instructis, intus prunneis; secundariis intimis medialiter late 
nigris, horum remige extimo extus nigro, intus albo marginato ; capite et collo superiore sordide brunneis, 
hoc saturatiore ; occipitis lateribus purpurascente et viridi nitentibus; occipite ipso nigro; collo postico 
brunnescenti-griseo, minute variegato; collo imo et fascia colli superioris utrinque albis, pectore 
concoloribus; corpore reliquo subtus albicante albo, abdomine minute brunneo vermiculato; crisso et 
subcaudalibus nigris, plumis externis longioribus extus albis; subalaribus grisescentibus albo vermiculatis ; 
axillaribus albis, rhachidibus paullo brunneo variegatis : rostro nigricante, lateraliter plumbeo ; pedibus 
plumbescenti-nigris ; iride saturate brunnea. Long. tota circa 24-30, ale 11:0, caude 7°3-9°5, 
culm. 1:85-2°1, tarsi 1°6-1°8. (Descr. maris adulti ex Zacatecas. Mus. nostr.) 
3 in ptilosi vera estiva femine adulte similis, sed speculum alare exhibens. 
@. Supra saturate brunnea, plumis singulis pallide arenario vel fulvo limbatis vel irregulariter fasciatis, pileo 
et collo albicanti-fulvis, nigro striolatis; corpore subtus sordide albo, fusco indistincte variegato, corporis 
lateribus et hypochondriis, abdomine et subcaudalibus brunneo striatis; alis brunneis, tectricibus 
minoribus et medianis albo terminatis, majoribus et secundariis latius albo terminatis, fasciam alarem 
duplicem formantibus; speculo alari brunnescenti-nigro; subalaribus brunneis, albo terminatis ; 
axillaribus albis, brunneo fasciatis : rostro grisescenti-nigro, mandibula rufescenti-brunnea. Long. tota 
circa 23°5, alee 10°1, caude 5:0, culm. 2-1, tarsi 1:65. (Descr. femine adulte ex Duefias. Mus. nostr.) 
3 juv. femine adulte similis, sed speculum alare exhibens; pectore et gastrao reliquo minute brunneo 
striatis. 
Hab. Nortu America, breeding from the northern parts of the United States north- 
ward 19,—Mexico (Wagler 2), Cachuta, Sonora (Lobinette 18), Mazatlan (Grayson °), 
Zacatecas (Richardson®°), Guanajuato, Guadalajara (Dugés °), Coahuayana 
(Xantus §), Valley of Mexico (Sumichrast 11, Herrera), Laguna del Mayorazgo, 
San Baltasar, Puebla (Ferrari-Perez 4), Jalapa, Vera Cruz (Sallé®); Britis 
Honpvras, Belize (0. S.4°); Guaremana, Lake of Duenas (0. 8.4520); Nicaragua, 
Sucuyé (Nutting 18) ; Costa Rica, San José (Calleja 719), Cartago (v. Frantzius'°), 
Rio Escondido (Richmond 17); Panama (IM‘Leannan ° 6) —GREATER ANTILLES, 
Cuba 20,—Nortuern Evrore anp Norruern Asis, migrating in winter to North 
Africa, the Indian Peninsula and Ceylon, China and Japan 2°. 
D. acuta is found in the northern parts of both Hemispheres, breeding in the 
Arctic and Subarctic Regions, and visiting Central America in winter, where Grayson 
says that the species is common in the neighbourhood of Mazatlan at this season ; 
Salvin also noticed it at Belize in British Honduras in December*. We found the 
Pintail plentiful on the Lake of Dueiias in Guatemala, whence it departed for the 
north in March +, Kennicott states that it migrates northward in immense flocks. 
In habits this bird much resembles the Mallard, and the food of both species is the 
same; it is, however, somewhat later in nesting than Anas boscas. The nest is 
invariably found near water, and is usually placed on low dry ground, under the 
shelter of trees and bushes, but never in grass-hummocks, and is composed of dry 
grass and a few sticks, plentifully lined with down. ‘The eggs are from six to nine in 
number, of a pale green or greyish-green colour, almost white }?. 
