EOCKY MOUNTAIN GAEEOT 353 



narrower bill whicli she wears, but I think it 

 will need a more than commonly close ob- 

 server to pick her out among a number of speci- 

 mens of the ordinary species. 



This is a bird of wide range, breeding any- 

 where along our northern border, thence any 

 distance toward cold weather. It may be that 

 the greater number nest in the Eockies. It 

 seems to be very uncommon in New England, 

 but is said to breed in the interior of Maine in 

 the lake region. A few are taken each year in 

 Penobscot Bay. 



This duck has the same music box arrange- 

 ment in its wings as has our own species, and 

 decoys readily to 'Holers" of the ordinary 

 Whistler, though it is said that in localities and 

 on streams where both birds frequent they are 

 apt to keep apart, each to his own kind. It 

 must be a hard matter in the mating time, with 

 the madness of that happy season in his blood, 

 for young Mr. Whistler to know when he has 

 chosen wisely and well — ^whether he has chosen 

 Miss Clangula Americana, or her cousin. Miss 

 Islandica. But even wise men have sometimes 

 shown little wisdom at such crises, and he has 

 this for consolation — that if he has blundered 



