216 ANATIDZ. 
fuscis; ala sicut in mari adulto colorata, sed speculo sordide eneo-viridi ; secundariis intimis et scapu- 
laribus brunneis, vix rhachidem pallidam exhibentibus. Long. tota circa 15:0, alex 7-4, caude 31, 
culm, 1:65, tarsi 1:2. (Deser. femine adulte ex Presidio. Mus. nostr.) : 
Juv. femingw adulte similis, sed abdomine haud maculato, et speculo alari sordide cinerascenti-brunneo, 
minime metallico distinguenda. 
“Hab. Norra America in general, but chiefly eastward; north to Alaska, south to 
Lower California; casual in California; breeding from Kansas and Southern 
Illinois northward 12.—Mexico (Deppe & Schiede?*, Wagler*), Cachuta, Sonora 
(Robinette 11), Tampico (Richardson 29), Ciudad in Durango, Presidio de Mazatlan 
(Forrer 2°), Mazatlan (Grayson 8), Guanajuato, Guadalajara (Dugés *+), Valley of 
Mexico (Herrera’?, Sumichrast *°), Laguna de Chapulco, Puebla (Ferrari-Perez*), 
Jalapa, Vera Cruz (Sallé 18°), Oaxaca (Boucard +), Progreso, Yucatan ( Stone & 
Baker *), Cozumel I.19, Mugeres I. (Gaumer); Brivish Honpuras, Belize 
(Leyland ®°); GuatemaLa (Constancia*), Acapam 18° Coban 2°, Duefias, Santana 
Mixtan 1629 (0. S.); Honpuras, Omoa (Leyland*°), Lake of Yojoa, Tigre I., 
Bay of Fonseca (Taylor #) ; Nicaracua, San Juan del Sur 2°, Sucuya 27 (Nutting), 
Rio Escondido (Richmond); Costa Rica, San José (Zeledon®, Cherrie®, 
Calleja 22 2°), Cartago (Zeledon °), San Antonio (v. Frantzius *!); Panama, Laguna 
del Castillo (Arcé 2° 2°),—CoLoMBIA 29. Ecuapor2?; Peru 29; Trrnipap?°; West 
Inpizs °°, 
The Blue-winged Teal breeds throughout the greater part of the United States, and as 
high as 60° N. lat. It is met with on the coast of Alaska and in Vancouver Island, but 
is unknown on the Pacific coast between the latter locality and the Gulf of California a 
The species is a winter visitor to Mexico and Central America. Grayson found it 
common in the neighbourhood of Mazatlan, and the bird probably breeds there, as 
a few remain throughout the summer. Leyland states that Q@. discors breeds near 
Omoa in the Republic of Honduras, arriving in October with the periodical northerly 
winds in flocks of from two to three hundred, and retiring to the rivers as the 
swamps dry up; but it is principally known as a winter visitor. In Guatemala we 
found the species abundant on the Lake of Dueiias, where it arrives in September 
and leaves in March or April; birds were met with both in high and low districts, 
though chiefly on the lake. 
This Teal is one of the first of the northern Ducks to reach its winter home, and it 
arrives in the United States in September, the same month in which the bird is first 
seen in Guatemala. The food is similar to that of ordinary freshwater Ducks; but 
in the Southern United States the species frequents the rice- and corn-fields, and after 
feeding in these places becomes very fat and is esteemed as a delicacy for the table. 
The nest is placed on the ground among reeds and coarse herbage, generally near the 
water; it consists of a few reeds and rushes, lined with down and feathers. The eggs 
are from eight to twelve in number, and are of a clear ivory-white colour 7°. 
