NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 69 



Alaska. Nests commonly in many of the lakes and ponds of Mani- 

 toba. On the marshes and lakes in the mountain valleys of Oregon 

 the Canvas-back constructs its nest at the edge of the water or near 

 it in tall rushes or grass. The Canvas-back is the highly esteemed 

 table duck. When feeding on wild celery the flesh is said to acquire a 

 peculiarly fine flavor, but under other circumstances not one person in 

 ten thousand can tell it from any other duck, on the table. It is often 

 confounded with the Redhead, but there is no occasion for this, even 

 when the different sexes come to hand in any state of plumage. 

 Although both species are similar in plumage, their heads alone 

 will differentiate them. The Redhead has a high forehead, while the 

 Canvas-back's head slopes gradually down to the bill and the bill rises 

 high on the forehead. In the male Redhead the entire head is clear 

 chestnut red, with a coppery tint, and the bill pale grayish-blue, with 

 a dark tip. In the Canvas-back nearly the whole head is blackish- 

 brown, and the bill blackish. The general color of the females of both 

 is brownish throughout. The nest of the Canvas-back is generally 

 made on the ground in marshy places; tall, rank grass is usually 

 selected. It is composed of grass and weeds, less thickly lined with 

 feathers than the nests of other ducks are. 



The eggs are from six to ten in number, pale grayish-drab or 

 greenish-buff, elliptical, and measure from 2.25 to 2.50 long by 1.70 to 

 1.75 broad. 



148. Aythya marila nearctica STEJN. [614.] 



American Scaup Duck. 



Hab. North America, breeding far north. 



This and the next species are closely allied, and are variously 

 known as Blue-bills, Raft Duck, Flocking Fowl and Shufflers. This 

 one is called Big Blackhead or Greater Scaup Duck, on account of its 

 size. It inhabits the whole of North America, and breeds far north. 

 It is not so abundant in the United States as the next species. In 

 many of the river valleys and in the lakes of Manitoba it is a common 

 summer resident, where it nests on the ground in swampy places. The 

 nest material is grass and weeds, and the lining is down from the breast 

 of the bird. 



In the male the head, neck and the front part of the body are 

 black, the former with a green gloss ; the back and sides whitish, finely 

 waved in zig-zag with black ; underneath and speculum of wing is 

 white. The bill is blue, with black nail ; iris yellow. In the female 

 the head and anterior parts brown ; face pure white. 



The eggs of the American Scaup Duck are of a pale, buffy 

 olive-gray, or ashy-green, elliptical, six to ten in number, size 2.54 x 1.71. 



