918 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — LA MELLIROSTRES — ANSERES. 



North America at large, brcediug from Texas to N. Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, etc., and N- 

 of the U. S. to high latitudes; in its breeding range chiefly northerly; winters to Central 

 America and some of the West Indies ; Enrope, casually in several recorded instances. Eggs 

 6-12, 9 or 10 very commonly, 2.00-2.25 X 1-50, dull pale buff or cream color to nearly white, 

 without any drab or olive shade. 



NET'TIU3I. (Gr. vtjttiou, nettion, a duckling ; dimin. ofvrjTra, netta, a duck.) Green-winged 

 Teals. Size very small ; wing under 8.00. Head sub-crested. Bill nearly as long as head, 

 longer than tarsus, very narrow, parallel-sided, blackish ; nail about I its tip. Ke-entrance 

 of feathers on sides of culmen iu advance of base of bill below. Head and neck chestnut, with 

 a broad glossy green band on each side behind eye, bordered with whitish, blackening where 

 meeting on nape. Under parts white, with circular black spots ; crissum black, varied with 

 white or creamy ; upper parts and sides of body closely waved with black and white. Specu- 

 lum rich green bordered in front with buff tips of coverts, behind with white tips of secondaries ; 

 no blue on wing; feet dark; bill black. 9 differing especially in head markings, those of 

 wings similar. About 15 species, of which we have two. As subgenus of Querquedula in 

 former editions of Key, and as subgenus oi Anas iu A. 0. U. Lists, 1886-95; raised to full 

 genus in Supph List, Auk, Jan. 1899, p. 103. 



Analysis of Species. 

 No white on side of body in front of wing ; long scapulars black externally, creamy-white internally . . . crecca 

 A white crescent on side of body before wing ; scapulars plain carolinensis 



N. crec'ca. (Lat. crecca, formed like crex, crake, quack, etc., to express the sound.) Euro- 

 pean Green-winged Teal. Like the next to be described : No white crescent before wing ; 

 green band in chestnut of side of head bordered with decided whitish ; barring of sides and 

 upper parts broader and coarser ; long scapulars as well as inner secondaries creamy white, 

 black -bordered externally. Europe ; Greenland ; casually on North American Atlantic coast 

 (New York, J. G. Bell, several specimens, 1858 or earlier; Labrador, Coues, 1860), and also 

 on the Pacific (Aleutian Islands and California). Late records are : Washington, D. C. Auk, 

 1886, p. 140; Massachusetts, Auk, 1890, p. 294; Connecticut, Auk, 1891, p. 112; New 

 Jersey, dubious, Auk, 1895, p. 171. 



N. carolinen'sis. (Fig. 642.) American Green-winged Teal. Green-wing. Red- 

 headed Teal. Winter Teal. Adult ^: Bill black; feet bluish-gray; iris brown. A 

 white crescent in front of wing. Head and upper neck rich chestnut, blackening on chin, with 

 a glossy green patch behind each eye blackening on its lower border and on nape where it 

 meets its fellow among the lengthened feathers of the parts, bordered below by a more or less 

 evident whitish line, which may often be traced to angle of mouth. Upper parts and flanks 

 waved with narrow black bars on a whitish ground. Under parts white, becoming buff or 

 fawn-colored on breast, nobulated with gray, on breast v;ith numerous sharp circular black 

 spots ; fore-neck and sides of breast waved like upper parts. Crissum black, with a buff or 

 creamy patch on each side. Primaries and wing-coverts leaden-gray; speculum velvety pur- 

 plish-black on outer half, inner half rich green ; bordered in front with chestnut, fawn, or 

 whitish tips of greater coverts, behind by white tips of secondaries, interiorly with purplish- 

 black stripes on outer webs of lengthened secondaries. Adult ?: Nearly like ^ on wings; 

 green speculum less perfect; no crest; head and neck streaked with light reddish-brown on a 

 dark brown ground ; upper parts mottled with dark brown, barred and streaked with tawny or 

 grayish ; lower parts white, more or less buffy-tinged on lower fore-neck and breast, which 

 have nebulous dusky spotting. A very small species, one of the most prettily colored of all, 

 and unsurpassed in excellence of flesh: length about 14.00; extent 23.00; M^ng 7.00-7.50; 

 tail 3.00; bill 1..50; tarsus 120. North America at larg^, extremely abundant; casual in 

 Europe. Breeds from the northern borders of the U. S. northward, chiefly N. of the boundary 



