DIVERS—COLD-WEATHER DIVERS. 33 
ent note. The sexes differ in color, but in the fall 
months the color approaches that of the young. 
They also can be divided into warm and cold 
weather birds, of which we have more cold than 
warm; and we find the ruddy the tenderest of all. 
Many species are entirely northern birds, occupying 
our coast or large northern lakes; occurring as strag- 
glers in the interior, upon our large rivers and lakes 
in the South, being driven down by rough weather 
especially when an early winter occurs in the North. 
Unlike the non-divers, they are not all fit for the 
table; although some, like the canvas-backs, redheads 
and scaups, are in the first rank, the majority are 
fishy or totally unfit for food. They are harder to 
kill than the non-divers, also to gather when wounded ; 
they fly lower, have more of a tendency to pitch in to 
decoys, or dip, pass on, turn and come back instead 
of circling, and are much tamer when not shot at too 
much. 
GeENus Aythya—SuBGENUS Aristonetta. 
Aythya Vallisneria —CANVAS-BACK.— Habitat.—Pa- 
cific Coast, north to Alaska; Atlantic Coast, northern 
part of South America, West Indies and British 
Possessions; through interior of the United States, 
breeding in northern portions. The first spring flight 
of the canvas-backs appears above the frost line whilst 
ice still remains upon the lakes; it stays but a brief 
period before passing northward, working its way to 
the British Possessions, the winter in the North regu- 
lating its flight, for this issue travels as far north as 
the breeding grounds extend. The second follows 
3) 
