RIVER DUCKS 91 



County Records. — Cumberland; rare, (Brock); two in fall of 1900, one in 

 spring and two in fall of 1901, (Lord) ; six earlier specimens than the fore- 

 going recorded, (Smith, F. & S. 20, p. 125). Sagadahoc; rare spring and 

 fall, (Spinney). Washington ; accidental, (Boardman). 



The Shoveller is a rare spring and fall migrant along the 

 coast, and does not breed in Maine. The nest of grass, lined 

 with down, is placed on the ground in a marsh or bog hole. 

 The eggs are six to twelve in number, grayish or bufFy white 

 in color. Twelve were found in a typical nest near DeviPs 

 Lake, North Dakota, May 31, 1894. They measure 2.10 x 

 1.39, 2.03 X 1.43, 2.14 x 1.41, 2.11 x 1.36, 2.09 x 1.40, 2.09 

 X 1.40, 2.09 x 1.39, 2.14 x 1.42, 2.09 x 1.41, 2.02 x 1.40, 2.14 

 xl.39, 2.10x1.44. 



In the west little family parties of these birds may be seen 

 feeding in the shallow water of small ponds and pug holes. 

 Their food consists of tender vegetable shoots of aquatic plants, 

 insects and larvae found in water. They are great dabblers 

 and dippers. 



Genus DAFILA Stephens. 



•''^143. Dafila acuta (Linn.). Pintail. 



Plumage of adult male : head and throat olive brown, darker on crown ; 

 faintly glossed on sides of occiput with iridescent metallic purple ; hind neck 

 black with white stripe at sides running to upper breast ; breast and belly 

 white ; scapulars black, streaked with pale buffy white ; back, sides and flanks 

 mixed wavy white and dusky; speculum green to bronzy purplish, white 

 tipped and with subterminal bar of black ; tail much graduated, dusky or 

 grayish, the long central feathers with a greenish gloss. Plumage of adult 

 female : above grayish dusky, barred with pale buffy ; head streaked with 

 buffy and dusky ; lower parts whitish, washed with buffy on breast and more 

 or less mottled or streaked with blackish ; speculum grayish brown, white 

 bordered. Immature plumage : very similar to female, the young males being 

 brighter while the young females are more heavily streaked and spotted 

 beneath. Wing 9.50 to 10.50 ; culmen 2.00 ; tarsus 1.60 ; tail of adult male 

 8.00 ; tail of adult female 4.50. 



Geog. Dist. — Northern hemisphere, breeding in the interior states from 

 North Dakota and Illinois northward, also rarely near Los Angeles, California; 

 winters from Virginia and Texas to Panama and Cuba ; does not breed along 

 the Atlantic coast. 



