776 THE CINNAMON TEAL. 
close to a railroad track, some nests having been found that were placed only 
six or eight feet away from the rails. Just what whimsical notion induces 
this habit it is difficult to say, but the thunder of the engines and cars does not 
seem to bother her duckship in the least, for she sits placidly upon her eggs 
in utter disregard of passing events. Perhaps it is a case of the Wren’s 
nesting in the scarecrow’s pocket. 
J. H. Bow es. 
No. 312. 
CINNAMON TEAL. ' 
A. O. U. No. 141. Querquedula cyanoptera ( Vicill.). 
Synonym.—Reb-breastep TEAL. 
Description.—Adult male: Entire plumage except back and wings, rich 
chestnut, darker on head, darker and duller on belly, darkest, almost black, on 
crissum; back and inner scapulars warm dusky, margined with cinnamon or 
lighter, inner and middle wing-coverts (the latter overlapping and nearly con- 
cealing the greater coverts), and the outer webs of outer scapulars and tertials 
beautiful light grayish blue; speculum lustrous green, bounded on sides by dusky 
and in front, only in part, by white tips of greater coverts; axillars white; under 
wing-coverts white and dusky; bill black; feet and legs orange; iris orange. 
Adult female (and male in post-nuptial plumage): Similar to corresponding plum- 
age of Q. discors, but darker; more of the throat and sometimes chin speckled ; 
underparts with at least a tinge of the peculiar chestnut color; averaging larger. 
Length 15.50-17.00 (393.7-431.8); wing 7.45 (189.2); tail 2.90 (73.7); bill 1.80 
(45.7); tarsus 1.32 (33.5). 
Recognition Marks.—Large Teal size; heavy chestnut coloration of male 
distinctive. Females and young require careful discrimination from Q. discers; 
see above. 
Nesting.—Nest: in grass or heavy weeds near water, of grass and scanty 
trash, copiously lined with slaty down. Eggs: 9-12, usually 10 or 11, creamy 
white or pale buff, smooth, “oily” surface. Av. size, 1.87 x 1.41 (47.5 x 35.8). 
Season: May 20-June 15; one brood. 
General Range.—\Vestern America from British Columbia south to Chili, 
Patagonia, and Falkland Islands; east in North America to the Rocky Mountains 
and southern Texas; casual in the Mississippi Valley and Florida. 
Range in Washington.—Common summer resident east of the Cascades 
only. 
Authorities.—[Cooper and Suckley, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. Vol XII. pt. IL. 
1860, p. 254; “Ft. Dalles,” (Ore.). Not a valid Washington record.] Anas 
cyanoptera, Dawson, Auk, Vol. XIV. Apr. 1897, p. 171. D*. J. 
Specimens.—U. of W. Prov. 
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