A NA TID.E — A NSERIX.E : GEESE. 



907 



brown and white ; a white wing-har. Nidification variable, in hollow of a tree, or on ground ; 

 many nests, built of grass, lined sparsely with down and feathers, have been found on the 

 ground in a marsh in central California. Eggs indefinitely numerous, 17 to (in one nest) 32, 

 also sometimes laid in nests of other Ducks, and of Coots ; size 1.85-l.G.) X 1.98-2.20; shell 

 dead white, somewhat rough, not as elliptical as usual in this Atmily ; laid late in June or in 

 July (Shields, Bull. Cooper Club, i, No. 1, Jan. 1899, p. 9). Southwestern U. S. and south- 

 ward, in summer Lnuisiana to Nevada and California, in winter Texas and Louisiana : casually 

 in Missouri and North Carolina; common on the Rio Grande. It also inhabits most of South 

 America, and the identical species is accredited to Africa and India. 



D. autumna'lis. (Lat. antumnalis or auctumnalis, of the period of increase, of harvest ; 

 auctiis, increased, augmented. Fig. 635.) Autumnal Tree Duck. Black-bellied 

 Tree Duck. Corn-field Duck (Texas). Adult J 9 : Bill coral-red, with orange above, 

 and bluish nail ; feet 

 pinkish - wh ite ; iris 

 brown. A large white 

 speculum, consisting of 

 greater wing -coverts 

 and basal parts of most 

 of the quills, as well as 

 spurious quills and outer 

 webs of one or two pri- 

 maries. Head and neck 

 reddish-chocolate, paler 

 on cheeks and chin, with 

 bhick stripe down nape 

 and hind -neck, passing 

 througli more yellow- 

 ish-brown on fore parts 

 of body to black on 

 lower back, rump, tail, 

 belly, sides of body and 

 lining of wings ; Hanks 

 and crissum mostly 

 white. Length about 

 20.00; extent 3G.00- 

 38.00; wing 9.50-10.50; 

 tail 3.00; bill alont: 

 gape 2.00 ; tarsus 2.25. 

 Young similar, duller, 

 tlie reddish-brown most- 

 ly dingy or rusty gray, 

 the black of the belly 

 replaced by whitish with 

 dusky waving; bill and 

 feet dusky. Ducklings 

 in (IdUii dusky l.rown above, spotted witli sulphur yellow <.n sides of ba<'k and rump, the head 

 witii buft" bands; below pale butf, bleadiingou belly. South and Central America and Mexico 

 to Texas, abundant from April to October on the Kio Grande; a common market-bird in some 

 places. Nest in liollows of trees, often at a great distance from water, to which the young are 

 transported by tlie parents in the bill. Eggs I2-I«;, 2.10 X L50, of usual shape, butfy-white. 



Kio. tsU. — FulvoUB Tree Duck 

 D. G. Elliot.) 



iKruiu "Wild Fowl of North An.. 



