148 TIIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



gated mkldlo pair uniform deep black. Bill plumbeous-blue, the ungui. base, and stripe 

 along culmcn, black; iris brown; feet dusky. Adult mala in summer: "Head, neck, and 

 under parts generally as in the adult female, except that thf abdomen is duller in color and 

 less marked; back dull dark brown, each feather haying one or two irregular dirty- white 

 bars, and some being irregularly vermiculated with that color; rump washed with gray; tail 

 similar in color to that of the bird last described [i.e. adult male in winter], but the two 

 central feathers are but slightly elongated; wings also as in the last described stage of 

 plumage, but the elongated secondaries and scapulars are shorter and blunter, and in color 

 dark gray, black along tho centre, some of the latter being marked like the back; flanks 

 grayish brown, every feather having broad yellowish- white bars; under tail-coverts as in 

 the female." (Shakpe c& Dresseb.) Adult female: Above slate-dusky, variegated trans- 

 versely with yellowish white or pale ochraoeous; these markings sometimes irregularly 

 bar-like, but oftener of U-shaped form, one on the edge, and one in the middle portion of 

 each feather. Wing much as in the male, but'metalUe color of the speculum duller, the 

 ochraoeous bar anterior to it paler, and the white terminal bar tinged with buff; wing- 

 coverts narrowly tipped with whitish. Upper tail-coverts broadly edged with whitish, and 

 more or less marked with irregular, usually V-shaped, Unes of the same. Tail-feathers 

 dusky, edged with whitish, and with more or If ss distinot indications of distant bars of the 

 same. Head and neck dingy whitish, tinged with brown on the superior surface, which is 

 heavily streaked with blackish, the other portions more finely and thinly strf aked, the 

 throat being nearly immaculate. Best of tho lower parts dingy white, the feathers more 

 grayish beneath tho surface; crissum and flanks streaked with dusky, but abdomen, etc., 

 usually immaculate. Young jnate: Similarto tho female, but markingson upper parts more 

 bar-like, and lower parts sometimes almost wholly f-treaked. Yomig female il^ct. '>4,6SS 

 Kadiak, Alaska, Aug, 1, 1868; F. Bischoff): Speculum pale broccoli-brown, marbled 

 toward base of feathers with dusky. All the feathers of tho upper parts conspicuously and 

 broadly bordered with buffy white, lower parts everywhere densely streaked with dusky. 

 Downy young: Above grayish brown, with a white stripe along each side of the back, a 

 white space on the wing, and a white superciliary stripe. Beneath grayish white, with a 

 very faint yellowish tinge ; a brown stripe behind the eye, and an indistinct space of the same 

 over the ears . 



JIfnJc. total length about 26.0»-28.00 inches; extent, 36.00; wing, 10.25-11.10; tail 7.25-9.50; 

 culmen 1.85-3.15; width of bill, .70-.80; tarsus, 1.55-1.85; middle too. l.TO-2.10. Female, wane, 

 9.CU-10.10; tail, 4.50-5.00; culmen 1.80-2.10; width of bill .65-. 75; tarsus, 1.65; middle toe. 1.80. 



The range of individual vai'iatioii of the colors in this species 

 is very sliglit, consisting of differences that are scarcely >vorthy 

 of mention. European specimens, however, differ very apprecia- 

 bly from North American ones in narrower speculum, but not 

 in other respects. Two males measure as follows: Wing. 10.30- 

 11.00 inches; tail (elongated middle fealhers), 8.50; culmen, 

 1.85-1.95; width of bill, .70-.75; tarsus, 1.40-1.60; middle toe, 

 1,85-1.90.' 



"Breeds in Manitoba, and the nortliern tier of States, and, 

 like the other river ducks, is common during the winter in the 

 Gulf States, and occasionally as far north as Illinois, but it also 

 goes mucli farther south. It is one of the earliest ducks to 

 migrate and was one of the most abundant of those which so 



' Sharpo & Dresser i"]Hsiorii of the Birds ofHiirope," Part xix) give tho dimensions of 

 tho European Pin-tail as follows: "•Total length 2 feet, culmen 2.2 inches; wing 11.2 inches; 

 tail. 7.B; tarsus, l.fi." 



