88 The Water-fowl Family 



Eggs — Eight to twelve in number; cream-color; measure, 2.15 by 

 1.50 inches. 



Habitat — "Nearly cosmopolitan." In North America, breeds from 

 Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, 

 and the interior of California, north to Ontario, Hudson Bay, 

 Assiniboia, and Alberta, and possibly the lower Mackenzie and 

 the Yukon rivers. Winters from Virginia, possibly Maryland, 

 Illinois, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and Cali- 

 fornia, south to Lower California, Mexico, and the West Indies. 

 In migrations occurs very rarely on the Atlantic Coast north to 

 Maine and Quebec, and on the Pacific to British Columbia, and 

 one is recorded from the Aleutian Islands in December. Occurs 

 in Bermuda. 



The gadwall is found more commonly in the 

 interior than on the coast, and seems to prefer the 

 prairie sloughs and marshes to the wooded lakes. 

 The table-lands of North America, from Dakota 

 and Montana south into Mexico, is the area over 

 which they are most abundant. In April, 1901, 

 near Tampico, I saw thousands of these birds. 

 They were in large flocks near the shores of the 

 lakes. We approached them in our dugouts and 

 had no difficulty in coming within range, the birds 

 starting up in front and settling down ahead to 

 other flocks. At this time they did not appear 

 to be mated. The flesh was excellent, and a 

 happy change from the monotony of a Mexican 

 diet. Later in May we found them still common 

 near Chihuahua ; here they were in pairs, evidently 

 about to nest. 



The gadwall undoubtedly breeds throughout 

 most of its range. Creeks and marshes well 



