BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. * 59 



Mr. Washburn states that they are reputedly regular summer 

 residents, and breed near Fergus Palls in rather limited num- 

 bers. He regarded them as a moderately represented species 

 in the breeding season, the larger proportion going further 

 north. In each of my personal explorations in Wright, Meeker, 

 and Kandiyohi counties, I have carefully sought for informa- 

 tion respecting the nidifying habits of this species in those 

 sections, and have been so far rewarded as to find their eggs in 

 the possession of several persons residing there, and obtain 

 such detailed descriptions as to the location of the nests, and 

 general habits of the Blue-bills as leaves no doubt of their 

 breeding there, though nowhere numerously. I was shown 

 the deserted nest in one instance, but their well known resem- 

 blance to those of the Mallards in both location and structure, 

 robbed the observation of all value in the absence of the eggs 

 and the duck. In every shooting season the variation of the 

 measures of the Blue- bills has arrested the attention of sports- 

 men as well as naturalists, yet very few have overlooked their 

 persistent habits enough to confound them with the Little 

 Black-heads (A. afiinis). Under my notes of measurements for 

 thirty years the variations in this species have never exceeded 

 20.75 inches in length; wing, 9.25; nor fallen below 17.50 and 

 8, while the Little Black-heads have been between 17.50 in 

 length; with the wing, 8; and 15, in length, with the wing, 

 7 . 25. I have never doubted the specific distinction of these 

 two ducks since I became more familiar with their habits, 

 although inclined to do so before; but I cannot account for 

 intermediate forms, or rather intergrading measurements, by 

 any proportionate hybridism, as has been so stoutly obtained. 

 Although they are here so assuredly during the entire season, 

 their habits do not make them specially observed to any marked 

 extent, until they begin to gather into appreciable flocks late 

 in the autumn; often into November, after which they remain 

 but a short time. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Head and neck all around, jugulum and sho alders, lower part 

 of back, tail, and coverts, black; head with a gloss of dark 

 green on sides; rest of under parts white; feathers on lower 

 parts of belly and side, the long feathers of the flanks, inter 

 scapular and scapulars w^hite, waved in zigzag transversely 

 with black; greater and middle wing coverts similarly marked 

 but more finely and obscurely; greater coverts towards the 

 tips and the tertials greenish black; speculum white, bordered 

 behind by greenish black; white extending across the whole of 



