CINNAMON TEAL. 1 27 



like the female blue-winged teal, but is larger and some- 

 what more richly colored. The belly is usually dis- 

 tinctly spotted. Length, 17 inches; wing, 7^ inches. 



The cinnamon teal is a western species. It is rarely 

 found as far east as the Mississippi Valley, though it has 

 been taken in Florida, but such birds are mere accidental 

 wanderers. The cinnamon teal becomes abundant after 

 the main Continental Divide is crossed and is a common 

 breeder and migrant all through the Rocky Mountains 

 and in California. In summer it is found as far north 

 as the Columbia River, and probably breeds freely all 

 through the Western United States. I have found its 

 nest in Wyoming placed under a small sage bush, 

 thirty or forty yards from a little mountain stream 

 that was nearly dry. It had eleven eggs, ivory-white 

 in color, and there was no down in the nest nor any 

 appreciable lining. 



In his account of the cinnamon teal, published in the 

 ''Birds of the Northwest," Dr. Coues paints one of 

 those charming word pictures which make his writings 

 such delightful reading as well for sportsmen as for 

 naturalists. He says of it : "I never think of the bird 

 without recalling scenes in which it was a prominent 

 figure. I have in mind a picture of the headwaters of 

 the Rio Verde, in November, just before winter had 

 fairly set in, although frosts had already touched the 

 foliage and dressed every tree and bush in gorgeous 

 colors. The atmosphere showed a faint yellow haze 

 and was heavy with odors — souvenirs of departing 

 flowers. The sap of the trees coursed sluggishly, no 



