76 North American Birds Eggs. 



148. American Scaup Duck. Ai/tlnja mania. 



Range. — North Aineiica, hreedintj from North Dakota northward, chietty in 

 the interior; south in winter to Central America. 



This and the following species are 

 widelj' known as "Blue-bills" ow- 

 ing to the slaty blue color of that 

 ^v member. Their plumage is black 



i|5^Jk and white, somewhat similar in 



■ '*' pattern to that of the Redhead, but 



darker, and the whole head is black. 

 '. ' They nest in marshes about many 

 of the ponds and lakes in the 

 interior of British America. The 

 nest is made of marsh grasses and 

 lined with feathers. The six to ten 

 '«.- eggs are pale grayish or greenish 



gray. Size 2.50 x 1.70. Data.— 



Saltcoats Marshes, N. \V. Canada, 



I Palf greenish gray. J June 15, 1901. Ten eggs. Nest in 



the grass; a depression lined witli down and dried grasses. Collector, Walter 



Raine. 



149. Lesser Scaup Duck. Aythija affinis. 

 Range.— North America, breetling from North Dakota and British Columbia 



northward; winters south to Central America. 

 / ' This Duck is distinguished from the preceding, chiefly by its size which is 

 rA about two inches less, or 17 inches in length. The nesting "habits are the same 



as those of the Greater Scaup and the eggs are similar but smaller. Size 2.25 



X 1.55. Data.— Northern Assiniboia, June 10, 1901. Ten eggs on grass and down 



at the edge of a lagoon. Collector, Walter Raine. 



150. Ring-necked Duck. Ayfhi/a rollans. 

 Range.— North America, i)reeding in the interior, from North Dakota and 



Washington northward. Winters from Maryland on the east and British Co- 

 lumbia on the west to Central America. 



PSimilar to the Lesser Scaup in size and plumage, except that it has a narrow 

 chestnut collar around the neck, the back is black instead of barred with white, 

 and the speculum is gray instead of white. The habits and nesting habits of. 

 the Ring-neck do not\liffer from those of the other Scaups. They lay 

 to twelve eggs. Size 2.25 x 1.60. Data.— Cape Bathurst, N. W. T., 

 1901. Ten eggs in a slight hollow in the moss, lined with down. 

 Captain Bodtish. 



15 1. American Golden-eye. ('I(ni(/iil(( amrricaua. 



C] Range. —North America, breeding both on the coast and in the interior, from 

 the northern border of the United States northward to the Arctic Ocean. 



from SIX 

 June 18, 

 Collector, 



These are handsome Ducks known 

 as "Whistlers" from the noise of 

 theirwings when Hying, and "Great- 

 heads" because of the puffy crest. 

 The head is greenish with a large 

 round white spot in front of, and a 

 little below the eye. The rest of the 

 plumage is black and white. This 

 species nests in hollow trees near 

 the water, lining the cavity witli 

 grass, moss and leaves, and lining 

 the nest with down from their 

 breasts. In May and June they lay 

 from six to ten eggs of a_ grayish 

 green color. Size 2.30 x 1.70. 



[(irax'ish green. 



