BIRDS OF KANSAS. 59 



black, with a greenish tinge; an indistinct streak through the eye dark brown; 

 rest of head and neck dull brownish white, marked with blackish brown, as in 

 the previously-described bird (adult male, in spring); back, rump and upper tail 

 coverts dark blackish brown, each feather margined with rusty red; wings and 

 tail as in the bird above described; breast dull rusty red, each feather with a 

 central black spot; flanks flark brown, broadly markefl and margined with dull 

 rufous; the rest of the under parts dull white, each feather having a central 

 blackish brown drop-shaped mark. Adult female: Colors chiefly brownish 

 dusky and brownish white, in longitudinal streaks on the head and neck, and 

 in irregular transverse spots and bars on other portions. On the upper surface 

 the dusky prevails, and on the lower parts the whitish predominates. Wing 

 nearly as in the male, but the chestnut usually absent, the black less extended, 

 and the gray of the coverts generally more or less barred and tipped with white. 

 Abdomen and lower part of the breast pure white; throat finely streaked with 

 dusky. Doicny young: Covered with soft short down; head, nape, back and 

 rump dark dull brown; on each side of the rump and back of each wing joint a 

 sulphur yellow spot, the wing joints being marked with that color; forehead, 

 space around the eye, throat and chest pale sulphur yellow; abdomen white, 

 shaded with sulphur yellow, on the lower part sooty gray." 



This species is not uncommon in the interior, especially 

 throughout the Mississippi valley and westward. I have never 

 met with the birds upon salt water, except in estuaries and along 

 the edges of lagoons, nor far out upon the open fresh water; 

 their natural resorts are along the banks of reedy streams or 

 ponds, and upon marshy grounds. 



The birds are rather solitary in their habits and are usually 

 found in pairs or small flocks. When approached from the 

 shore they do not attempt to hide, but boldly swim out into the 

 open water and at once take wing, fljdng swiftly, making with 

 their wings as they cleave the air a whistling sound like that of 

 the Baldpate, but not so loud. The birds unless winged rarely 

 attempt to escape by diving. 



Their food is procured largely in shallow water, with head, 

 neck, and anterior parts of the body immersed; it consists 

 chiefly of insect life, snails, tadpoles, crawfish, bulbous roots, 

 water cresses, tender blades of grass, and also cereals. I have 

 occasionally started them from corn fields, but never far from 

 the water' 8 edge. They are easily domesticated, and their flesh 



