THE BIRDS OK SPRINGFIELD AND VICINITY. 9 



selves. They are apparently very fond of corn, and when 

 " baited " on that ,^rain, are loth to proceed on their jonrne>-. 



133. Anas Obscura Gmel. Black Duck. Abundant 

 in spring and autumn: a l"e\v spend the winter with ns, and 

 can usnally be found in the vicinity of the south branch of 

 Mill river, in Hampden and Wilbraham, from December until 

 March. As the ice closes the ponds and forms along the banks 

 of the Connecticut river, the great body retire, and, even if the 

 winter is open, do not return until spring. A few breed regu- 

 larly in the ponds in the western part of this section and rarely 

 in the river towns. In July of 1898, a brood nearly grown 

 appeared in Forest Park in Springfield, and associated and fed 

 with the domestic ducks there, and becoming quite tame they 

 were finally captured alive and taken into winter quarters; a 

 few of them still remain in the park. 



135. Chaulelasmus strepera (lyinn. ). Cxadwall. 

 Accidental visitor: there are two specimens in the Museum in 

 Springfield, that were taken here many years ago. (See Cata- 

 logue of the Birds Found in vSpringfield. ) 



137. Mareca americana (Gmel.). Baldpate. A 

 not very common, but regular !-pring and fall visitant: in the 

 autumn of 1884, they were fairly aVjundant here. 



139. Nettion carolinensis (Gmel.). Green-winged 

 Teal. A not uncommon ,-pring and autumn migrant, but less 

 numerous than the Blue-winged Teal. 



140. Querquedula discors (lyinn. ). Blue-winged 

 Teal. A common autumn but a rare spring visitor; in the 

 fall of 1885, it was abundant. I have seen it here repeat- 

 edly in mid-summer, and once I observed a flock in the river 

 about the twentieth of August. One of the specimens in the 

 Museum at Springfield was taken here the last day of May; I 

 have no further evidence of their breeding here, but there is no 

 doubt that at one time they did. 



