86 



THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



It seems highly probable that the Gadwall is a bird of 

 regular occurrence, though at best rare on our coast, and 

 occurs probably during migration to and from its only known 

 breeding grounds on the Atlantic coast of America at Anticosti. 

 The eggs are said to be laid in a nest of grass lined with down 

 which is situated on the ground in meadows and marshes near 

 lakes or ponds. Eight to twelve cream, buff or clay colored 

 eggs are said to be laid. Ridgway gives average dimensions 

 as 2.09 X 1.57. 



Genus MARECA Stephens. 



137. Mareca amerkcma (Gmel.). Baldpate; American 

 Widgeon. 



Plumage of adult male : head and neck buffy whitish, thickly mixed with 

 black ; a bright metallic green patch on each side of head between eye and, 

 top of head and nape ; middle of crown buffy white ; upper breast and sides 

 vinaceous, the latter with wavy black lines ; rest of breast and belly white ; 

 back grayish brown, barred with black, often vinaceous tinged. Plumage of 

 adult female and immature birds: head and throat pale or buffy white 

 streaked and barred with black ; upper breast and sides pale vinaceous mixed 

 with grayish ; rest of breast and belly white ; back grayish brown, barred 

 with pale buffy ; wing coverts grayish in part, edged with white, their ends 

 often black. Wing 10.00 to 11.00 ; culmen 1.40 ; tarsus 1.55. 



Geog. Dist. — North America, breeding from Texas occasionally, and regu- 

 larly from Dakota and Minnesota north to the Arctic Ocean ; does not breed 

 along the Atlantic coast ; in winter occurs as far south as Central and even 

 South America. 



County Records. — Androscoggin ; migrant, ( Johnson) . Cumberland ; often 

 common, (Brock). Hancock; rare, (Dorr). Oxford; very rare, (Nash). 

 Penobscot; one shot at Monument Brook, (Hardy). Sagadahoc; few fall 

 and spring, (Spinney) ; common migrants in waters of Merrymeeting Bay in 

 1904 from late October to November 5, (Noble, J. M. O. S. 1905, p. 13). 

 Washington; very rare, (Boardman). 



This species occurs quite generally as a migrant along the 

 coast, often locally being present in considerable numbers, 

 while inland it is decidedly rare. They chiefly occur along the 

 coast from late October until well along in November and again 

 in March and early April. A nest found in Benson County, 



