54 



MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB 



53 r'4"] Querquedula discors (Linn.). 

 Blue-winged Teal. 



Rare spring, common autumn transient visitor. March 21 to y\pril 25 

 (July 27) ; August 16 to November 25. 



The March 21 record was for 1898 Ijy Damscll ; another spring specimen by 

 the same authority is for April 24, 1897, both at Amesbury. On April 11, 1909, 

 Mr. S. Prescott Fay' observed a pair in full plumage in a pond near Wenham 

 Swamp, Topsfield. The unusually early autumnal migrant was seen in Clark's 

 Pond, Ipswich, on July 27, kjii, Ijy Mrs. Edmund Bridge. 



54 [142] Spatula clypeata (Linn.). 



Shoveller; " SrooNniLL." 

 Rare transient visitor. April 6; September 3 to November 7. 



The spring record is made by Damscll for the year 1893 ; he also has a record 

 for September 3, 1894. Mr. Charles R. Lamb shot a female in Plum Island River 

 on September 4, 1908, and Mr. Geofrey Goodale a male in Sagamore Pond near 

 my house at Ipswich on October 7, 1916. 



Dr. J. C. Phillips- finds from the records of Chel)acco Lake that in the ten 

 years from 1900 to 1909 this species was noted on four occasions and five birds 

 were taken. On October 15, 1910, three of this species, all males, were taken by 

 Dr. Phillips^ at Wenham Lake. 



In the field the brilliant and varied coloration of the adult drake is distinctive ; 

 the female or young or the adult male in eclipse plumage look in a general way 

 like a Mallard in similar plumage although much smaller. The bill, however, is 

 the distinguishing mark ; this looks not only broad but long. 



55 [143] Dafila acuta (Linn.). 



Pintail; "Sprigtail"; "Gray Duck." 



Uncommon transient visitor, especially in the spring. March 8 to 14; Sep- 

 tember 6 to November 25. 



In the fair, calm afternoon of October 12, 1917, an unusually large flock of 



' Fay, S. P. Auk, vol. 27, p. 219, 1910. 

 -Phillips, J. C. Auk, vol. 28, p. 198, 1911. 

 •■' Phillips, J. C. Auk, vol. 28, p. 119, 1911. 



