588 (THE BALDPATE. 
Recognition Marks.—Like next species, but head showing more rufous. 
Nesting.—Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground, Eggs, 5-8, pale 
buffy. Av. size, 2.23 x 1.35 (56.6 x 38.8). 
General Range.—Northern parts of the Old World. In North America 
breeds in the Aleutian Islands, and occurs frequently in the eastern United States, 
and occasionally in California. 
Range in Ohio.—Accidental. According to Professor Jones, a duck of this 
species was taken on the Licking Reservoir March 29, 1902, by Mr. Peter Hayden 
of Columbus. The specimen was presented to Mr. Irving A. Field of Granville, 
who mounted it for the museum of Dennison University. In going over the 
same ground three days later Mr. Field discovered another bird in a local bag. 
So far as known this is the only occurrence within the limits of our state of this 
Old World duck. It has however been frequently found elsewhere in the Eastern 
States and careful attention in the future is likely to reveal other instances of its 
presence here. 
No. 286. 
/ BALDPATE. 
A. O. U. No. 137. Mareca americana (Gmel.). 
Synonyms.—AMERICAN WIGEON; WIDGEON. 
Description — Adult male: Head and neck white or light buffy, thickly 
speckled, except on forehead and crown, with dusky; a space from eye along side 
of crown to occiput bright glossy green, the color scattering behind; fore-neck and 
upper breast, sides of breast broadly, and sides narrowly, deep vinaceous, edged 
more or less with hoary vinaceous; the sides with fine wavy bars; back and scapu- 
lars similar, black-and-white-barred, and heavily tinged with vinaceous ; tertials lan- 
ceolate, velvety black, with greenish reflections on outer webs, and narrowly bor- 
dered on outer margin with gray and white; wing-coverts mostly white, the lesser 
brownish gray, the greater tipped with black; speculum dull black with green gloss 
only on anterior inner portion, the inner bounding feathers abruptly gray; rump 
cold brownish gray, lightening to grayish white on upper tail-coverts, both finely 
wavy-barred with dusky; tail tapering, the feathers sharply acuminate; the central 
feathers blackish, the lateral ones ashy gray ; lower breast and belly white; crissum 
abruptly black; axillars white; lining of wings white and brownish gray; bill 
grayish dusky, blackening below and black on tip; feet dull grayish dusky; 
darker webbed. Old drakes have the extreme chin dusky, and are other- 
wise lighter about the bill, nearly immaculate on throat, and pure white on crown. 
Adult female: Without white or green on head—uniformly streaked instead; 
vinaceous replaced by dull cinnamon-brown, obscurely mixed with dusky, and 
edged with brownish-gray ; above dusky or fuscous, barred or edged on back with 
dull ochraceous ; wing-coverts grayish brown sharply edged with white: speculum 
and boundaries as in male; no solid black on upper tail-coverts and crissum,— 
fuscous or brownish and whitish instead. Length 18.00-22.00 (457.2-558.8) ; wing 
10.50 (266.7) ; tail 3.00-4.50 (76.2-114.3) ; bill r.50 (38.1) ; tarsus 1.56 (39.6). 
