I LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN WILD FOWL. 201 



These ducks suffered, to all appearances, as much as any species on the lake. A 

 flock of 22 was approached to within 30 feet one afternoon before they gave any heed, 

 but finally they rose heavily and flew low over the ice a distance of 60 yards, where 

 they lit, and immediately assumed a resting posture. Two of these ducks were 

 captured alive, both being taken almost as easily as one would take an apple from 

 the ground. The first made one feeble flight when approached, but that was all. 

 He was followed and picked up off the ice without a struggle. The second was 

 taken from the ice without having made any attempt to fly. The condition of both 

 of these birds was pitiful, to say the least. Hardly able to stand erect, and too fee- 

 ble to mind what was going on around them, they sat on the ice in a more or less 

 dazed condition. The feathers were unpreened, and those of the breast and belly 

 were yellow and matted with grease. Both of these birds were found ou the ice of 

 Fall Creek. There are records of 22 canvasbacks that were found dead within this 

 area. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Breeding range. — Western North America. East to the eastern 

 edge of the prairie region in central Manitoba (Lake Winnipegosis, 

 Lake Manitoba, and Shoal Lake), rarely in southern Minnesota (Heron 

 Lake), and casually in southern Wisconsin (Lake Koshkonong). 

 South to central western Nebraska (Garden and Morrill Counties), 

 northern New Mexico (Cimarron), northern Utah (Box Elder and 

 Davis Counties), and western Nevada (Pyramid Lake). West prob- 

 ably to eastern or central Oregon and Washington and to southern 

 British Columbia (Lumby and Grand Forks), and central British 

 Columbia (Lac la Hache). North to central Alaska (Fort Yukon), 

 northern Mackenzie (Anderson River), and Great Slave Lake (Fort 

 Rae and Fort Resolution). 



Winter range. — Southern North America. East to the Atlantic 

 coast of United States. South to Florida, the Gulf coasts of Louisi- 

 ana and Texas, central Mexico (valley of Mexico and Mazatlan) ; 

 rarely to Cuba and Guatemala. West to the Pacific coasts of north- 

 ern Mexico and United States. North to southern British Columbia 

 (Puget Sound region and Okanogan Lake), northwestern Montana 

 (Flathead Lake, until frozen), northern Colorado (sparingly), north- 

 eastern Arkansas (Big Lake), southern Illinois, and eastern Mary- 

 land (Chesapeake Bay) ; rarely as far north as Lakes Erie and 

 Ontario, and eastern Massachusetts (Boston). 



Spring migration. — Average dates of arrival: Iowa, Keokuk, March 

 12; Minnesota, Heron Lake, March 28; Nebraska, central, March 14; 

 North Dakota, northern, April 18; Manitoba, southern, April 21; 

 Pennsylvania, Erie, March 13 to 26; Ohio, Oberlin, March 17; New 

 York, Cayuga Lake, April 1. 



Fall migration. — Early dates of arrival: Maine, Pittston, about 

 October 8; Long Island, Mastic, October 11; Virginia, Alexandria, 

 October 15; California, southern, October 20. Late dates of depart- 

 ure: Maine, Falmouth, November 14; Rhode Island, Middletown, 



