ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 1 65 



the Wood Duck, the Hooded Merganser builds its nest in a hol- 

 low tree. Baird, Brewer and Ridgway (N. A. Birds. Water 

 Birds, ii, 124) describe the eggs as pure ivory-white, and of a 

 rounded oval, almost globular form, from a specimen in the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, collected in Iowa. 



J. W. Preston says ("Notes on Bird Flight," O. & O., xvii, 3, 

 March, 1892, 42): "While camping on Little Twin Lakes, north- 

 ern Iowa, some years since, I noticed a male Hooded Merganser 

 circling around a grove so often that it seemed certain that he was 

 feeding his mate, which they do at incubating time. I concealed 

 myself and watched for a long time, and finally was rewarded by 

 seeing the fellow fl}- plump into a hollow in a gigantic oak. It 

 would seem to be a piece of recklessness; certainly if he had not 

 aimed well he would have suffered for the error. ... I timed 

 one of this species, and it made its mile in less than one minute." 



Nearly all observers in the state regard the species as a migrant. 

 A few other records are given: 



Blackhawk — "this species formerly ])red quite frequently in 

 Blackhawk county, but no nest has been known there for 

 many years. Has been known to breed in the same tree with the 

 Wood Duck" (Peck). Des Moines — two specimens in the Uni- 

 versity museum were taken July 5 and Aug. 13, 1894, ^t Burling- 

 ton, by Paul Bartsch. Franklin — "mature birds have been seen 

 during latter May" (Shoemaker). Lee — -"common migrant; rare 

 summer resident" — Keokuk district" (Praeger); "abundant 

 migrant; rare resident" (Currier). Winnebago — Hancock— 

 "common migrant; rare summer resident. Have frequently seen 

 young birds along wooded streams in August" (Anderson). Win- 

 neshiek — "common migrant in the spring; seen usually in Ma5^ 

 I have never seen it in the fall. Observed as early as March 30 

 and as late as June" (Smith). 



Subfamily ANATIN.5^. River Ducks. 



The Ducks of this subfamilj' are distinguished b}- the absence 

 of a lobe on the hind toe. They are broad-billed ducks and feed 

 by probing the bottoms of sluggish streams, ponds and marshes, 

 picking up mollu.scs, crustaceans, insect larvae, and the .seeds and 

 roots of aquatic plants. Many of our commonest ducks belong 

 to this group. 



[Proc. D. a. S., Vol. XI. j 24 [August 21, 1906.] 



