ZOOLOGY. Zi)0 



I was told by scvorul gunners, at different times, of a small kind of brant occasionally seen, 

 ■which was not much larger than a mallard, and had a white ring above the middle of the neck. 

 It was said to keep to the middle of the bay, and to be difficult to shoot. On January 30, 1855, 

 I saw four among a flock of the preceding species swimming near the moutli of the ba}-. 

 They were about a third less in size, and did not show so much white in their plumage, but 

 were too far off to be seen distinctly. I inquired of hunters in California, but they knew 

 nothing of such a bird. — C 



Sub-Family ANATINAE.— Tr ue Ducks. 



ANAS BOSCHAS, Linn. 



Mallard ; Greeu Head. 



Anashoschas, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 17C6, 205.— Wilson, Am. Cm. VIII, 1814, 112 ; pi. Ixx.— AcD. Orn. Biog. Ill, 

 1835, 164 ; pi. 221.— Ib. Syn. 276.— In. Lirds Amer. VI, 1843, 236 ; pi. 385.— Bated, Gea. Ucp. 

 Birds, 774. 

 Anas {Boschm) dome$tica, Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 442. — Nuttall, Man. II, 1834, 378. 

 Sp. Ch. — Mak: Head and neck bright grass green, with violet gloss, the top of the head duller ; a white ring round the 

 middle of the neck, below which, and on the fore part and sides of the breast, the color is dark brownish chestnut. Under 

 parts and sides, with the scapulars, pale gray, very finely undulated with dusky ; the outer scapulars with a brownish tinge. 

 Fore part of baclc reddish brown ; posterior more olivaceous. Crissum and upper tail coverts blaclc, the latter with a blue 

 gloss. Tail externally white ; wing coverts brownish gray, the greater coverts tipped first with w^hite, and then more 

 narrowly with black. Speculum purplish violet, terminated with black ; a recurved tuft of feathers on the rump. 



Female with the wing exactly as on the male. The under parts plain whitish ochrey, each feather obscurely blotched 

 with dusky. Head and neck similar, spotted and streaked with dusky; the chin and throat above unspotted. Upper parts 

 dark brown, the feathers broadly edged and banded with reddish brown, parallel with the circumference. 

 Length of male, 23 ; wing, 11 ; tarsus, 1. 79 ; commissure of bill, 2. 50. 

 Hob. — Entire continent of North America, and greater part of Old World. 



This duck is exceedingly common in the western portion of both Territories. It is especially 

 aliundant on the brackish marshes at the mouths of the Nisquall}', and other rivers emptying 

 into the sound. 



By the Nistiually Indians it is called the '' Halit-hald," in imitation of its note of alarm. — S. 



The mallard is an abundant and resident species in the Territory, frequenting fresh water 

 and small creeks near the sea as long as the ice does not drive it from its feeding grounds, 

 Avhen they sometimes return to the open bays. They build near their favorite waters, though 

 I once saw a nest a quarter of a mile from any pond. — C. 



DAFILA ACUTA, (Linn.) Jcnyns. 



FlntaU; Sprigtail, 



Anas acuta, Linn, Syst. Nat. I, 17GG, 202.— Gmelln, I, 258.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VllI, 1S14, f. 2 ; pi. Ixviii.— Aud. 

 Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835,214: V, 615; pi. 227.— Ib. Syn. 279.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 266 ; pi. 390. 



Phasianurus aculus, Waglek, Isis, 1832, 1235. 



Anns {Dujila) acuta, Jentns, Man. 1835, 232. Europ. sp. 



D^da acuta, BoN. List. 1838.— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, 776. 



Anas [Boichas) acuta, Nuttall, Man. II, 1834,380. 



Anas caudacuta. Eat, Sw. F. Bor. Am. 11, 1831, 441. 

 Sp. Ch.— Tail of 16 feathers. Bill black above and laterally at the base ; the sides and beneath blue. Head and upper 

 part of neck uniform dark brown, glossed with green and purple behind. Inferior part of neck, breast, and under parts 

 white ; the white of neck p.isses up to the nape, separating the brown, and itself is divided dorsally by black, which, below, 



