256 The IVafer-fowl Family 



Measurements — Length, 20 inches; wing, 8.25 inches; culmen, 

 1.75 inches; tarsus, 2 inches. 



Young — Similar to adult, but with little or no chestnut color on 

 wing-coverts ; under parts, paler ; the upper tail-coverts tipped 

 with brown. 



Downy young — Upper parts, grayish brown ; a brown band from the 

 eyes to the back of neck ; another extending down the neck, 

 posteriorly ; a white band across the back to the head, and one 

 across the wing; under parts, white. 



Eggs — Ten to fifteen in number, pure white, measure 2.20 inches 

 by 1.50. 



Habitat — In the United States, breeds in Louisiana, Texas, and the 

 Sacramento Valley, California; occurs in Nevada, southern and 

 Lower California in migrations, and winters in Louisiana and 

 Texas. Ls found also in Mexico and in southern Brazil, Uruguay, 

 and Argentina, in South America, and is said to occur in South 

 Africa and India. Recorded also from North Carolina and 

 Missouri. 



Mr. Hepburn found the fulvous tree-duck breed- 

 ing on the marshes at the junction of the Sac- 

 ramento and San Joaquin rivers. A specimen 

 killed near San Francisco is in the Museum of 

 the Boston Natural History Society. There is a 

 single instance of its capture near New Orleans, 

 January 22, 1870. In South America it has been 

 noticed in the easterly region of La Plata and on 

 the Rio Uruguay. In October, at the end of the 

 rainy season, it is abundant near Mazatlan. 



The fulvous tree-duck inhabits a region near the 

 seacoast, but is found exclusively on fresh water, 

 through the winter ranging well into the tropics. 

 It frequents shallow, grassy ponds, feeding on 

 seeds and various weeds, often going at night to 



