798 THE RIXG-NECKED Dl'CK. 



THE Little Bluebill of the- simrtsmau is Id all iiucnts and jnirposcs a 

 smaller counterpart of the foregoing species ; indeed, llie cnjurs of the female 

 are almost exactlx- alike. The male of the \-ariet\- under discussion may, how- 

 e\'er, be distinguished l)y a ])urplisli iridescence on the head and neck, where 

 its larger cousin shows a decided greenish cast, ll ma\' he cousidered almost 

 a certainty that the two species occasionally interbreed, for in a large series of 

 both kinds, m,'i\' be found birds of intermediate size, which form almost per- 

 fect connecting Imks. 



It is not quite so common a liird as the Greater Scaup, and in this State 

 appears to restrict its range almost entirely to fresh water. In consequence of 

 this choice, its food is such as to render the epicure perfectly safe in adding 

 the bird to his bill-of-fare whenever possible. 



The nesting habits of all the Scaups are so nearly identical that a descrij)- 

 tion of one serves equallv well fur anv of the others. The eggs are similar in 

 color to those of the Greater, but, naturall\-, are smaller, a\'eraging in measure- 

 ment 2.24 X 1.54 inches. 



It is ])robaljle tliat this species will ne\er be found nesting in the State, as 

 its inclinations are even more northerly than those of the Greater Scaup, 



J. H. Bowles. 



No. 320. 



RING-NECKED DUCK. 



A. O. U. No. 150. Manila collaris ( Donov.). 



Description. — Adult male: Mead and neck sooty and lustrous black, with 

 slight greenish and strong violet-jiurple iridescence ; a short dense occipital crest ; 

 extreme chin white ; a broad chestnut collar not clearly defined : fore-neck, breast, 

 and upperparts rich, deep, brownish black, glossed with purplish on the breast, 

 with green on the longer scapulars and tertiaries. minutely dotted with white on 

 the scapulars : lower breast and belly white, becoming purplish on crissum and 

 flanks: a transverse bar of white on sides of breast continuous with inider-parts ; 

 sides minutely vermiculated dusky and white (as many as a hundred bars to the 

 inch) ; wing-coverts gra^■ish brown, becoming dull glossy green on posterior por- 

 tion ; speculum ashy gray tipped with brownish dusky, and bordered interiorly 

 with bluish gray of outer tertials : axillars and lining of wings white; bill black, 

 narrowly pale blui.sh at base, and crossed by band of same color near tip; feet 

 dull blue with duskv webs; iris vellnw. Adult fcuialc: r)lack of male replaced 

 by brown, — dark umber brnwn im crown and u])per])arts, warm yellowish brown 

 on breast and sides, paling on sides of head and neck to white on throat and 

 whitish about base of bill; belly less clearly or extensively white; wing much 

 as in male. I^ength 16.00-18.00 (406.4-437.2); av. of six males: wing 7.54 

 (iqi.5); tail 2.26 (57.4); bill 1.88 (47.8); tarsus i.ji) (35.3). Female some- 

 what smaller. 



