LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN WILD FOWL. 157 



alternate with clayey flats a few inches above the tide level. These flats are thinly 

 covered with a growth of small mangroves, grasses, and a few other halophytes, while 

 here and there are little pools surrounded by taller mangrove bushes. In this sort of 

 country we found a good number of these handsome ducks. Most of those seen were 

 in pairs, but one flock of 15 birds was started from a small pond among the mangrovea, 

 July 6. 



Nesting. — Mr. Charles B. Cory (1880) writes: 



This pretty little species was quite abundant at Inagua, frequenting the large salt 

 ponds of the interior. On May 27, while shooting on a small island in the lake back 

 of Mathewstown, I observed a number of these birds, and shot several, all of which 

 were in full breeding dress. While passing through a small marsh I discovered the 

 nest of this species, the old bird flying away as I approached. It was simply a mat 

 of grass placed on the ground, and contained nine eggs of a pale brown color. Another 

 nest, taken a few days later, contained eight eggs, slightly darker than the first set. 



Young. — Dr. Alexander Wetmore (1916) was fortunate enough to 

 find a brood of young in Porto Rico, of which he writes : 



May 26 the birds were common at the Laguna de Guanica, where they would 

 flush singly or in pairs from a growth of water plants covering a large area of the lagoon 

 and, after circling over the open water, return to the same cover. Once in the short 

 grass of a marsh a female flew out, but almost immediately fell back as though with 

 a broken wing, repeating the performance several times. At the same time the low 

 "peep, peep of young birds was heard and two about 5 days old were caught. A third 

 promptly dived and apparently never came up, while the others rapidly scattered 

 to safety through the grass. The down of these little birds was not at all soft, but had 

 a peculiar stiff bristly feeling. 



Plumages.— Mr. W. E. Clyde Todd (1911) says that a young bird, 

 collected on Watling Island on March 23, — 



is assuming the Juvenal dress, and already resembles the adult below. In the downy 

 stage the general color is dull brown, with a white stripe on the flanks and an illy 

 defined pale superciliary stripe. The throat and cheeks are white also, as in the 

 adult. 



Food. — Doctor Wetmore (1916) says of the food of this species: 



Stomachs of eight adults and two downy young which were collected were 

 examined by W. L. McAtee, of the Biological Survey. The adults had eaten 

 nothing but vegetable matter. Seeds of ditch grass (Ruppia maritima) were 

 found in every stomach and formed 16.25 per cent of the total bulk the largest amounts 

 being 180 and 125, seeds, respectively. Foliage and antheridia of algae (Chara, 8p.) 

 made up 83.75 per cent and formed the great bulk in all the stomachs. The two 

 downy young had eaten animal matter (amounting to 3.5 per cent), composed of re- 

 mains of a water boatman [Corixa, sp.), bits of a water creeper {Pelocoris, sp.), and 

 young snails. Grass seeds, foxtail grass (Chnetochlon, sp.), barnyard grass {Echino- 

 ehloa cnis-galli), and a species of guinea grass {Pnnicuvi, sp.) formed 94 per cent of 

 the food of these ducklings, and a few other seeds 2.5 per cent. 



He seems to think that they need protection, for he says: 



These birds were much disturbed by egg hunters who were continually searching 

 the marshes, and many were shot by gunners during the breeding season. They 

 should be free from molestation from March 1 to December 1 at least. In a few years 

 their range will be even more restricted than at present, because of the draining and 

 clearing of swamps and marshes, and unless protected they will disappear entirely. 



