258 Natural History Bulletin. 



side of back, some distance behind the wings; top of head 

 olive brown, w^hich color extends down to the back, of neck; 

 sides of head bright yellow buff, with a streak of brown be- 

 hind the eye; sides of body a more reddish brown than the 

 back. Below, buffy white to middle of belly, behind which 

 the color is greyish brown. Bill slightly broader near end 

 than at base. 



Seven specimens secured; 3 ? and 4 downy young. 



Aythya VALLiSNERiA (Wils.). Ciinvas-back. Apparently 

 rare. The single specimen obtained was the only one cer- 

 tainly seen. I am confident that this species enjoys altogether 

 too high a reputation as a market bird. Indeed I have seen 

 large numbers of its relatives, the red-heads, marked and sold 

 for canvas-back. When it comes to telling the difference 

 between the latter and half a dozen other species after they 

 reach the table, I doubt if one person in five hundred can 

 distinguish with an\^ certainty between them, at least in the 

 West, where the canvas-back does not live on VaUisneria. 



Aythya collaris (Douov.). Ring-necked Duck. Two 

 young specimens just attaining the contour feathers on the 

 sides and belly, I refer with some doubt to this species. The 

 bill is suspiciously slender, wider at end than at base, but not 

 long enough to be A. vallisnei'ia. They may possibly be A. 

 tnarila nearctj'ca. The coloration is close to that of A. collaris 

 as described by Ridgwa}'^,! but the brown on top of head 

 invades the circum- and post-ocular regions, and the seven 

 buffy spots are somewhat obscure. 



Glaucionetta islandica (Gmel.). Barrovj's Golden-eye. 

 Two immature females secured, which must be referred to 

 this species, although the bills are considerabl}' smaller than 

 the descriptions of adult birds would indicate. It is exceed- 

 ingly difficult to tell 3'oung birds of this genus apart, but an 

 application of the ke}- in Ridgway's Manual would place the 

 birds under discussion as G. islandica. 



Breeds within the Arctic Circle. (MacFarlane). 



1 Manual of North American Birds, page 104. 



