(^2 CHAVLELASMUS STREPEHUS. 



with a single discharge of a light gun which was merely loaded with a small cliarge of 

 dust shot. This occurred in early March and the birds were evidently gathering, prepara- 

 tory to migrating northward, for in a few days they had all disappeared. The Pintails 

 breed in the North and North-west. 



GENUS Vr. CIIAULELASMUS. THE GRAY DUCKS. 



Gen. Cu. Bill, about as lony as head, not wide nnr flattened, s/ii/hl/y expanded at tip, but not swollen nor hiijh at base. 

 Leys, short. Neck, not very long. Marginal indentatio7is, nearly closed in adult. 



The trachea is slightly dilated near the larynx, which in the male, is provided with a bony I'rame-work and is ex- 

 panded. Stomach, muscular. Seses, not similar. There is but one specias within our limits. 



CHAULELASMUS STREPERUS. 

 Gadwall Duck. 



Chaulelasmus streperiis Gray; 1838. 

 DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cu. Form, robust. Size, large. Color. Adult male. Head and neck, yellowish-white, becoming reddish on 

 crown and spotted with dusky. Lower neck, back, and upper breast, dark-brown, finely banded with wliite. Outer scap- 

 ularies and sides, black, narrowly barred with white. Longest tertiaries, hoary, and inner seapularies, tinged with rod- 

 dish. Middle wing coverts, chestnut; greater, black. Speculum, white, bordered externally with lioary, internally with 

 black. Flanks and upper tail coverts, black. Remainder of under portions, white, faintly banded on the abdomen witli 

 browuLsh. Iris, reddish-brown; bill, black; feet, yellowisli-green. 



Adult female. Dark brown throughout, tinged with ashy on head, neck, and greater wing coverts, streaked on first 

 two with yellowish, and with the feathers of body and tail broadly margined with reddish. Otherwise similar to male. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Readily known in all stagesby the white speculum, and colors as described. Distributed, in summer, througlioutthe 

 North-west and North; wintering in the South. Not common in New England. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average inea-surements of specimens from North America. Length, 20'60; stretch, 33'On; wing, 9-00; tail, 3-50; hill, 

 2-10; tarsus, I'lO. Longest s])ecimen, 21-75; greatest extent of wing, 35-00; longest wing, 10-00; tail, 4-00; bill, 2-20; tarsus, 

 1-80. Shortest specimen, 1950; smallest extent of wing, 31-00; shortest wing, 8-00; tail, 3-00; bill, 2-00; tarsus, 1-64. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests, placed on the ground iu marshy places, composed of sticks, weeds, etc. Eejijs, six to ten in number, elliptical 

 in form, and creamy-buff in color. Dimensions from 1-45x2(10 to 1-60x2-05. 



HABITS. 



The Gadwall is one of the most uncommon of all the Ducks which occur in New Eng- 

 land during the migrations, hut is occasionally found in our markets in considerable num- 

 bers, being brought from the West, where it is common, and where it breeds. I ha^ e never 

 met with this Duck in Florida, nor elsewhere on the eastern coast of the United States. 

 The Gadwall resembles other members of the order in general habits. 



GENUS VII. MARECA. THE AYIDGEONS. 



Gen. Cn, Bill, shorter than head, rather narrow, not flattened, wideiied at tip, swollen, nor high at base. Neck and 

 tegu, short. Marginal indentations, open. 



Trachea, not dilated, and the larynx in the male is expanded, and provided with a bony frame-work. Stomach, mu.s- 

 cular. Central tail feathers and under tail coverts, slightly lengthened. Sexes, not similar. There are two species with- 

 in our limits. 



MARECA AMERICANA. 



American Widgeon. 



Mareca Americ-tna Steph. Shaw's Zool. XII.; 1824, 135. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, not very large. Coi.ou. Adult male. Head and neck all around, creamy-white, finely 

 spotted and banded everywhere, excepting on crown, with dusky. Throat and broad band back of eye, nearly black, the 

 latter glossed with green. Lower neck, seapularies, sides, and upper breast, chestnut-red, tinged with a.shy ; finely banded 



