PINTAIL 135 



speculum is dull brown, showing but faint green or i)uri)le reflections, and with 

 bars of color a<ljoining speculum less contrasted; tertials and scapulars dull 

 brown, like flight feathers; under surface of wing and axillars as in male; 

 under surface of body dingy white, often stained with rusty; feathers of fore- 

 neck with U-shaped brown markings and those of rest of under surface with 

 grayish centers, giving a more or less mottled appearance; under tail coverts 

 white with brownish centers. Total length "21.00-23.50" inches (.533-597 

 mm.) (Ridgway, loc. cit.); folded wing 9.64-10.42 (244-265); bill along culmen 

 1.83-1.96 (46.5-49.8); tarsus 1.56-1.67 (39.6-42.4) (ten specimens); all from 

 California. Juvenile phimage: "Young male, similar to the female, but mark- 

 ings on upper parts more bar-like, and lower parts sometimes nearly wholly 

 streaked" (Baird, Brewer and Ridgwaj', 1884, T, p. 512). Natal plumage: 

 Top of head brown, palest on forehead; stripe over eye, lower part of cheek, 

 and chin, dull white; stripe behind eye running around back of head, and 

 patch on ear region, light brown; neck white save for narrow brown stripe 

 down hind neck; rest of upper surface light brown; streak down side of back, 

 and large patch across end of wing, white; under surface of body white, tinged 

 more or less with brownish. 



Marks for field identification — Large size (at least as to length), narrow 

 head and long slender neck. The long central tail feathers, dark brown head 

 with white neck stripes, and white under surface easily identify the male. 



Voice — Of male: a loud qua, qua, uttered in flight; also a mellow whistle. 

 Of female: a hoarse muffled quack; and several low notes (authors). 



Nest — Usually in tall grass on dry ground but near water; a crude structure 

 of dry grasses lined with down. 



Eggs — 5 to 12, ordinarily 6 to 8, elongate ovate in shape, measuring in inches, 

 2.06 to 2.26 by 1.39 to 1.59 (in millimeters, 52.3 to 57.4 by 35.3 to 40.3), and 

 averaging 2.18 by 1.51 (55.4 by 38.3); in color dull grayish olive or pale olive 

 green, often discolored with clay-toned markings (Grinnell, 1900, p. 15; and 

 authors). 



General distribution — Northern Hemisphere. In North America breeds 

 from Arctic Coast of Alaska to Keewatin, and south to southern California, 

 northern Nebraska and northern Illinois; winters from southern British 

 Columbia, Nevada, southern Wisconsin, southern Ohio and Delaware, south 

 to Porto Rico and Panama, and in Hawaii (modified from A. O. U. Check-list, 

 1910, p. 73). 



Distribution in California — Common winter visitant throughout the state, 

 but more abundant in the southern portion. Migrants from the north begin 

 to arrive in September and usually leave in March. An inhabitant of fresh 

 water and found but rarely in salt water situations. Small numbers remain 

 throughout the summer and breed in suitable localities; the following are 

 the only definite records of nesting known to the writers: Pennington, Sutter County 

 (H. C. Bryant, 1914e, p. 223); Hayward, Alameda County (Mailliard coll.); 

 Los Banos, Merced County (H. C. Bryant, 1914e, p. 220; Carriger coll.); Tulare 

 Lake, Kings County (Goldman, 1908&, p. 202) ; Buena Vista Lake, Kern County 

 (Linton, 1908o, p. 50); Los Angeles (Davie, 1889, p. 66); Alamitos, Los Angeles 

 County (Cooke, 1906, p. 38); Bear Lake, San Bernardino County (Willett, 

 1912a, p. 24) ; and San Jacinto Lake, Riverside County (Willett and Jay, 1911, 

 p. 158). 



The Pintail or Sprig is usually one of the commonest ducks in 

 the hunter's bag and it is always to be found on the market during 



