THE REDHEAD. 789 



the danger unrealized. Until tlie matter is legally remedied, our appeal must 

 be to the honor and the unselfishness, as well as to the common sense, of those 

 who, perhaps unwittingly, occupy a position so unicjuely favored. \'iewed in 

 the large the slaughter of ^^'ood Ducks is an esthetic crime. Why should we, 

 the people of the United States, sacrifice this jewel of the waters, which might 

 gladden all our eyes for all our lives, for the sake of the insignificant mouth- 

 fuls of meat wliich only one ten-thousandth of our number could enjov for a 

 few seasons? The Wood Duck should be absolutely protected wherever found, 

 and especially in those sections, the lower Columbia and the lower Fraser 

 Rivers, where there is some real hope of sa\-ing it. Let us, if ])ossible, ere it 

 be too late, snatch this priceless gem of the bird world from the perdition to 

 which we have already consigned the Wild Pigeon and the Wild Turkev ! 



No. 316. 



REDHEAD. 



A. O. U. No. 146. Manila americana fEyt.\ 



Synonym. — .-Vmericxx Poch.\rd. 



Description. — Adult male: .Angle between culnien and forehead abrupt; 

 head and upper-neck bright chestinit, glossed with reddish purple, mostly heavily 

 on neck ; lower-neck and breast all around { i, e. including upper back) deep 

 glossy brownish black; belly white; rump, upper tail-coverts, and crissum sooty 

 black ; reiuaining plumage, except wings, and including lower bellv ( in fact all 

 above the "water-line"! finely wavy-barred or vermiculated duskv and white in 

 about e(|ual proportions; wing-coverts ashy gra)- speckled with white; s]5eculuni 

 still lighter, — warm ashy gray, tipped with white ; a.xillars entirelv and lining 

 of wings chiefly white; bill dull blue with a l)lack belt at tip; feet grayish blue, 

 with black claws and dusky webs; iris orange. Adult female: Aluch plainer; 

 wing as in male ; above and on breast and sides warm or dull gravish brown, 

 more or less tipped with buffy or fulvous, the feathers of back and scapulars 

 sometimes speckled with dusky and white on tips, according to season ; darker 

 on back and crown, lighter on sides of head and neck, especiallv above bill, light- 

 ening to bufify white on chin and throat ; bellv white ; lower l)ellv light grayish 

 brown; crissum grayish brown and white; bill lighter than in male. luiiiiaturc 

 male: Like adult female but darker; feathers near base of bill, on sides only, 

 whitish; speculum (always?) creamy white instead of ashy grav. Length 18.00- 

 22.00 (457.2-558.8) ; wing 8.96 (227.6) ; tail 2.50 (63.5) ; bill 1.80 (45.7) ; tarsus 

 1.56 (3Q.6 I. 



Recognition Marks. — Mallard size or smaller ; chestnut head, black breast, 

 and "canvas" back and sides of male. See distinctions under next species. 



Nesting. — Nest: in a marsh or near water, of reeds, grasses, etc., well lined 



