THE REDHEAD. 789 
the danger unrealized. Until the matter is legally remedied, our appeal must 
be to the honor and the unselfishness, as well as to the common sense, of those 
who, perhaps unwittingly, occupy a position so uniquely favored. Viewed in 
the large the slaughter of Wood Ducks is an esthetic crime. Why should we, 
the people of the United States, sacrifice this jewel of the waters, which might 
gladden all our eyes for all our lives, for the sake of the insignificant mouth- 
fuls of meat which only one ten-thousandth of our number could enjoy for a 
few seasons? The Wood Duck should be absolutely protected wherever found, 
and especially in those sections, the lower Columbia and the lower Fraser 
Rivers, where there is some real hope of saving it. Let us, if possible, ere it 
be too late, snatch this priceless gem of the bird world from the perdition to 
which we have already consigned the Wild Pigeon and the Wild Turkey! 
No. 316. 
REDHEAD: 
A. O. U. No. 146. Marila americana (Eyt.). 
Synonym.—AMERICAN PocttArp. 
Description.—dult male: Angle between culmen and forehead abrupt; 
head and upper-neck bright chestnut, glossed with reddish purple, mostly heavily 
on neck; lower-neck and breast all around (i. e. including upper back) deep 
glossy brownish black; belly white; rump, upper tail-coverts, and crissum sooty 
black; remaining plumage, except wings, and including lower belly (in fact all 
above the “water-line’) finely wavy-barred or vermiculated dusky and white in 
about equal proportions; wing-coverts ashy gray speckled with white; speculum 
still lighter—warm ashy gray, tipped with white; axillars entirely and lining 
of wings chiefly white; bill dull blue with a black belt at tip; feet grayish blue, 
with black claws and dusky webs; iris orange. Adult female: Much plainer; 
wing as in male; above and on breast and sides warm or dull grayish brown, 
more or less tipped with buffy or fulvous, the feathers of back and scapulars 
sometimes speckled with dusky and white on tips, according to season; darker 
on back and crown, lighter on sides of head and neck, especially above bill, light- 
ening to buffy white on chin and throat; belly white; lower belly light grayish 
brown; crissum grayish brown and white; bill lighter than in male. /immature 
male: Like adult female but darker; feathers near base of bill, on sides only, 
whitish ; speculum (always?) creamy white instead of ashy gray. Length 18.co- 
22.00 (457.2-558.8) ; wing 8.96 (227.6) ; tail 2.50 (63.5) ; bill 1.80 (45.7) ; tarsus 
1.56 (39.6). 
Recognition Marks.—Mallard size or smaller; chestnut head, black breast, 
and “canvas” back and sides of male. See distinctions under next species. 
Nesting.—Nest: in a marsh or near water, of reeds, grasses, etc., well lined 
