THE, FULVOUS TREE DUCK. 837 
scapulars black, the feathers edged with fulvous; rump plain black; tail black; 
lesser wing-coverts chocolate, remainder of wing, including remiges, black ; upper 
and lower tail-coverts pale creamy white. Bill bluish black; feet slaty ; iris brown. 
Length about 20.50 (520.7) ; wing 8.00-9.50 (203.2-241.3) ; bill 1.50-1.90 (38.1- 
48.3) ; tarsus 2.25 (57.2). 
Recognition Marks.—Small Mallard size; light cinnamon coloration; long 
legs; “arboricole” habits. 
Nesting.—Not known to breed in Washington. Nest: Various: in hollow 
of tree lined with feathers, or on ground in swamp, of grasses, etc., lined with 
down. “Eggs indefinitely numerous, 17 to (in one nest) 32, also sometimes laid 
in nests of other Ducks, and of Coots; size 1.35-1.05 x 1.98-2.20 [34.3-41.9 x 50.3- 
55-9]; shell dead white, somewhat rough, not as elliptical as usual in this family ; 
laid late in June or in July” (Coues). 
General Range.—Of remarkable and discontinuous distribution. South- 
western North America, southern South America, Africa, India; in North 
America breeding from Louisiana west to California and north (at least) to 
Nevada, wintering in the southern portion of its range and in Mexico. Casual in 
North Carolina, Missouri, British Columbia (Vancouver Island) and Washington. 
Range in Washington.—Accidental on Gray's Harbor—one record. 
Authorities—Dawson, Auk, Vol. XXV. Oct. 1908, p. 485. 
Specimens.—Prov. C. 
THIS species is normally confined to the southwestern portion of the 
United States and to South America, not having previously been taken north 
of Nevada; but on the 29th of November, 1905, five were taken from a flock 
of eleven at Alberni, Vancouver Island, by Mr. J. S. Rollin, a rancher. One 
of these specimens, a drake, is now in the Provincial Museum at Victoria. 
Four days later another specimen was taken from a flock of ten on Gray’s 
Harbor, by Mr. Willis G. Hopkins, of Aberdeen. The bird was mounted by 
Fred Edwards and Company, of Tacoma, and is now in Mr. Hopkins’ 
possession. 
It is well known that certain kinds of birds, notably the Herons, wander 
Northward at the close of the nesting season. Whether this is due to an 
incipient migratory instinct working backwards, or whether the birds simply 
decide to take a vacation, we may not know. On the whole the appearance 
of these two flocks of southern ducks upon our northern shores would seem 
to be an illustration of this fortuitous wandering rather than evidence of 
northerly breeding. 
Those who saw these ducks on Gray’s Harbor were struck with their 
peculiar appearance in flight, and especially by their prevailing redness, altho 
at close quarters their colors are seen to be made up rather of soft melting 
browns and tawny yellows. 
