38 DIVERS—COLD-WEATHER DIVERS. 
object which they distrust and which the redheads 
would have unhesitatingly approached. 
The redheads’ cry whilst floating about in compact 
bunches resembles the mewing or cry of a cat, but 
their call is a very modest quack. They roost upon 
the open water, feeding through the night; in fact, 
they always appear hungry. 
For food and nesting range, see chart. 
Their clutch is from eight to ten creamy white 
eggs. They are both prairie and timber birds. Like 
the canvas-backs, they fly at a high rate of speed. 
The female, which closely resembles a bluebill duck 
in color, is easily told by its size of foot, from the lat- 
ter; and from a canvas-back by its bill not being bev- 
eled, and blue-black tipped instead of black. Length 
21.00; Wing 9.00; tarsus 1.60; extent 31.50; middle toe 
2:30; 
Genus Aythya—Suscenvus Fuligula. 
Aythya Collaris—RINGBILL, RINGNECK, BLACKJACK. 
Habitat—North America at large, north to British 
America, south to Central America and West Indies. 
In the spring migration this duck appears during the 
first issue, when open water is to be found in channels; 
or where the north side of the arms of lakes and inlets 
thaw out first by the rays of the sun. The ducks pro- 
ceed northward as the open water appears, using to a 
great extent the grounds of the bluebill. The second 
issue stays the longest of the three, and affords flight 
or pass shooting unequaled by any other diver. It 
does not tear up the celery beds like marila or affinis, 
although it indulges somewhat when it can find it; but 
