TEUM PETER SWAN 25;< 



l>lac'k-b('lli('(l is easily separated by its black belly, which contrasts 

 abruptly with the eiiiiianion-brown of the breast, and by the presence 

 of conspicuous wliite patches on the wings. 



The following habit notes are quoted from Baird, Brewer and 

 Ridgway (1884, I, p. 483) : 



This tliu'k i)erfhes with facility on the branches of trees, and when in 

 the corn-fields, upon the stalks, in order to reach the ears of corn. Large 

 flocks spend the day on the bank of some secluded lagoon, densely bordered 

 with woods or water-flags, also sitting amongst the branches of trees, not often 

 feeding or stirring about during the day. When upon the wing this bird 

 constantly utters its peculiar whistle of pe-che-che-ne, from which its native 

 name is derived. Colonel Grayson noticed that it seldom alights in deep 

 water, always preferring the shallow edges or the ground; the cause of this 

 may be the fear of the numerous alligators that usually infest the lagoons. 



It nests in the hollows of large trees, laying from twelve to fifteen 

 eggs and is said to carry the young to the ground in the bill. 



Nothing need be said as to the status of the Black-bellied Tree- 

 duck in California further than that stragglers may be expected to 

 appear occasionally in the extreme southern part of the state. It 

 will probably never be of importance except as a curiosity. 



Trumpeter Swan 

 Olor huccinator (Richardson) 



Other name — Cygmis buccinator. 



Description — Adults, both sexes: Pure white; head and sometimes also the 

 neck, or even the entire lower surface, tinged with rusty. Bill, legs and feet, 

 deep "black"; iris "brown" (Sanford, Bishop and Van Dyke, 1903, p. 265). 

 Young: "In winter the young has the bill black, with the middle portion of 

 the ridge, to the length of an inch and a half [38 mm.], light flesh-colour, and 

 a large elongated i)atch of light dull purple on each side; the edge of the 

 low'er mandible and the tongue dull yellowish flesh-colour. The eye is dark 

 brow'n. The feet dull yellowish brown, tinged with olive; the claws brownish- 

 black, the webs blackish-brown. The upper part of the head and the cheeks 

 are light reddish-brown, each feather having toward its extremity a small 

 oblong whitish spot, narrowly margined with dusky; the throat nearly white, 

 as well as the edge of the lower eyelid. The general colour of the other parts 

 is greyish-white, slightly tinged with yellow; the upper part of the neck 

 marked with spots similar to those on the head" (Audubon, 1843, VI, p. 225). 

 Total length "68.00" inches (1,725 mm.) (Audubon, loc. cit.) ; height, stand- 

 ing 44.00 (1,117); folded wing 22.00-26.00 (559-660); bill along culmen (cal- 

 culated) 4.26 (108.0); tarsus 4.00-4.50 (101.7-114.3); weight 20-31 pounds 

 (about 9-14 kilograms) (Coale, 1915, p. 87). 



Marks for field identification — Similar to the white swans common in 

 parks, but never with any knob on bill. Extremely large size, long neck (as 

 long as body) and pure white plumage. Distinguishable from Whistling Swan 

 by larger size, and upon close examination, by wholly black bill, longer and 

 narrower-tipped bill and situation of nostrils farther back (hind margin more 

 than 2.50 inches [63.5 mm.] from the tip of bill). 



