WATER BIRDS. 



87 



"The normal nesting grounds of this species are in the far north, and it 

 is known to breed from northern Minnesota to the Arctic Circle. "In 

 North Dakota it is an early breeder, beginning to lay early in May; proba- 

 bly the majority of the broods are hatched by the first week in June. The 

 female is strongly devoted to the young, trying to decoy the intruder 

 away. It nests anywhere, often a half mile from water; the nest poorly 

 concealed, often in plain sight, a deep hollow in the ground, lined with 

 straw, stubble and a little down. Eggs eight to ten, much like the Mallard's, 

 but smaller and more glossy, pale olive green or olive buff." (A. C. Bent, 

 Auk XIX, 5-6). Ridgway gives the average size of the eggs as 2.21 by 

 1.47 inches. 



Fig. 18. Pintail— Male. 

 From Baird, Brewer & Ridgway's Water Birds of North America. (Little, Brown & Co.) 



On the water as well as on the wing the Pintail is easily recognized 

 by its long neck. According to D. G. Elliot it has three common notes; 

 a mellow whistle, a hoarse, guttural quack, and a rolling note similar to 

 that uttered by the Lesser Scaup. He adds "As a diver the Sprigtail 

 is only a partial success. It can go under water, though it cannot stay 

 long, but it skulks wdth great skill, stretching out the neck to the fullest 

 extent and laying it and the head flat upon the surface. At a little distance, 

 unless there is a complete calm, it is very difficult to be seen when it assumes 

 such a position." 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult male in full plumage with top of head very dark brown, sometimes nearly black; 

 sides of head and throat clear brown, with a greenish gloss posteriorly. The brown of 

 the crown passes into jet black on the occiput, nape and upper hind neck, where it forms 

 a narrow stripe passing down the back of the neck, becoming grayer and finally blending 

 with the vermiculated back. On the hind head and upper neck this stripe is bordered 

 on each side by pure white, whicli is an extension of the white of the lower neck, breast 

 and belly. The back and sides are beautifully vermiculated with narrow black and white 

 wavy lines; the tertiaries and some of the scapulars are elongated and lanceolate, and 

 have broad black shaft stripes in sharp contrast with the clear as of the rest of the vanes. 

 The speculum is green, edged posteriorly with pure white and in front by a bar of cinnamon- 

 brown (distinctive). The under tail-coverts are velvet black in strong contrast with the 

 white belly, and tlie middle tail-feathers are often very much elongated and taper to 

 sharp points. The female is much smaller than the male, never has the clear brown 

 and pure white head markings, nor the finely barred back and sides; she is usually a brown- 



